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LIVE SHOW REVIEWS: Chromeo / Mayer Hawthorne / Breakbot @ House of Blues, Boston 11/01/11

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The long-running Chromeo-headed “When the Night Falls” tour rolled into House of Blues, Boston this past Tuesday. A near capacity crowd enjoyed a good three hours of ok to great music from electro party duo Chromeo, Detroit soul singer Mayer Hawthorne, and beats DJ Breakbot.

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We’re big Mayer Hawthorne fans here a b3sci so we were stoked to catch some of his latest material (off his new How Do You Do LP) live. We certainly weren’t disappointed in that department. As MH’s set straddled the best tunes from his debut A Strange Arrangement LP (one of our favorite albums of 2009) and songs from the new album. Mayer delivered a high energy, fun, kinetic set that kept most of the HOB house (which probably skewed 75/25 Chromeo fans) engaged and interested. Highlights from the set included SA‘s “Your Easy Lovin’ Ain’t Pleasin’ Nothin'” and “Shiny and New” as well as new tracks like single “The Walk” and the Detroit-inspired “A Long Time”. Having seen Mayer a few times before in smaller venues, the sheer size of HOB Boston seemed a bit much for his sound and style. Like, with Mayer’s music and persona, you want to feel like he’s singing to you or for you or something like that and inside the cavernous concert McDonalds that is HOB the set felt a bit disconnected in that way. That said, we still had a great time and really enjoyed Mayer’s performance.

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Chants of “CHROME-OH-OH-OH” a la The Wizard of Oz filled HOB as the Canadian duo took their places on stage. From the first stab of P-Thugg’s keyboard rig onwards the place was electric. Chromeo had complete command of what quickly became a sprawling, frenetic, chaotic cascade of pot-smoke and whirling limbs. The place was absolutely nuts, maybe as live as I’ve seen the Boston House of Blues, just absolute mayhem. The duo rifled through an approx. hour-long set of “Chromeo classics” including the funkified “Tenderoni”, the funkier “Hot Mess”, and the supremely funky “Call Me Up”. Chromeo came hard and delivered. The kids danced, the kids moved, the kids got psyched, got hyped, and seemed to leave satisfied.

Chromeo canada (Official) (Facebook)
Mayer Hawthorne michigan (Official) (Facebook)
Breakbot france (Facebook) (Soundcloud)

reviewed by
11-05-11

Friendly Fires – Hurting (Tensnake Remix)

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Well, isn’t this just tops? Look for this remix to get its official release on November 25 c/o Permanent Vacation.

Removed at request of label.
Friendly Fires – Hurting (Tensnake Remix)

Tensnake germany (Soundcloud) (Facebook)

Rating 8.5

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reviewed by
11-04-11

Jessie Ware – Strangest Feeling

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You may have heard the syrupy tones of Jessie Ware before on records by SBTRKT or Joker but we’re not gonna talk about that we’re gonna talk about her voice. And what a voice it is. Ms. Ware’s ability to evoke precise emotion and feeling and still maintain expert phrasing and vocal rhythm is at a level that is truly exceptional. Get (re)familiar below.

Jessie Ware – Strangest Feeling

Jessie Ware england (Facebook) (Twitter)

Rating 8.2

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reviewed by
11-03-11

Waves and Waves – Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door (Bob Dylan)

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Waves and Waves do a self-described “electro-space-folk” take on one of the b3sci team’s consensus favorite songs of ALL TIME. The quieter bits of the cover are especially good, almost Hope Sandoval-esque.

Waves and Waves – Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door (Bob Dylan)

Waves and Waves california (Official) (Soundcloud)

Rating 8.1

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reviewed by
11-02-11

Lady Gaga – Marry the Night (The Weeknd & Illangelo Remix)

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Usually when an artist underwhelms with a release (Radiohead) a remix LP can’t be too far behind. But we like this. This is the sort of direction Gaga should’ve taken with the Born This Way record. Sort of pushing current electronic/r&b/pop into the mainstream. That’s how the iconic pop artists re-invent themselves and maintain relevance. They take a sound not quite yet in the mainstream they have ears on and make it mainstream. Gaga’s Born This Way remix LP is due December 6th.

Lady Gaga – Marry the Night (The Weeknd & Illangelo Remix)

The Weeknd canada (Official) (Twitter)

Rating 8.4

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reviewed by
11-02-11

Field Mouse – You Guys are Gonna Wake Up My Mom

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“You Guys..” is our first taste from a new EP project coming soon from Field Mouse. The musical layers make waves, and as it’s melodies crashabout, we’re loving this new noise by the Brooklyn based band.

Field Mouse – You Guys are Gonna Wake Up My Mom

Field Mouse newyork (Bandcamp) (Facebook)

Rating 8.3

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reviewed by
11-02-11

Krewella – Strobelights [kthx Remix]

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kthx flips the next big track on the horizon from Krewella. Banger.

Krewella illinois (Facebook)
kthx (Facebook)

Rating 8.2

brown8

reviewed by
11-02-11

Kings of the City – Let Me Go (Maverick Sabre)

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London genre-benders Kings of the City have just released an excellent new “Covers” EP (which you can sample for free here). Have to hand it to the blokes in song selection department, Fleetwood Mac’s “The Chain”, Wretch32’s “Don’t Go”, the classic(!) Sonique track “Feels So Good”. Well done, chaps. KotC’s frenetic take on “Let Me Go” by Maverick Sabre is our choice track from the set. Give this heatrock a spin below.

Kings of the City – Let Me Go (Maverick Sabre)

Kings of the City england (Facebook) (Bandcamp)

Rating 7.9

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reviewed by
11-01-11

REVIEW: Harrison Hudson – American Thunder

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American Thunder, the new album from Harrison Hudson, is an unexpected treat from the Nashville outfit. Lo-fi production fuses with ambitious sing-alongs to create an unassailable combination. It’s been a while since I’ve heard songs so tightly structured around linear-sequential, narrative storytelling. “Bookstore Girl” could become a winter semester anthem in Cambridge, Madison and Ann Arbor. “Cherish The One You Got” takes a twee sensibility and ages it like a fine wine, like a post-pubescent b-side from Who Will Cut Our Hair When We Are Gone. The single, “Every Girl”, is lovely enough but one of the safer songs on the album. However, that’s the mark of a great LP, when the deep cuts are indistinguishable from the singles. The pedigree is apparent: Big Star, Guided By Voices, Magnetic Fields. (Also listed on their Facebook page is Roy Orbison, Buddy Holly and Ricky Nelson.) But then you hear The Crystals-esque backing vocals on “Run My Way” and all comparisons go out the window. I want to put this review in a time capsule for three months, because when the songs are there, the replay value is a given. Bravo, Harrison Hudson! American Thunder is my favorite album of Q4 2011. Contributed by Chris Gedos

Harrison Hudson – Every Girl

Harrison Hudson – Bookstore Girl

INFO: tennessee (Official)

Rating 8.7

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reviewed by
11-01-11

Blouse – White

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Yeah we love this Blouse shit. “White” sports a neat 1-2 step and some dope synth flourishes and sounds like it was recorded inside a closet. Show us the play button.

Blouse – White

Blouse oregon (Bandcamp) (Facebook)

Rating 7.9

brown71

reviewed by
11-01-11

B3SCI on Virgin Mobile Live: HALLOWEEN!

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This week’s show features choice Halloween tracks past/present plus some nods to classic throwback horror flicks. Get this year’s full Halloween mix HERE. #BLAHZAY

Catch B3SCI Radio on Virgin Mobile Live, Fridays and Saturdays every week 12pm pac/ 3pm east. Click for B3SCI Radio archives and be sure to check out fam Virgin Mobile Live.

TRACK LIST:

Intro
Oholics – Suzy Banyon Blues
ToxiK – Saw Theme Song (Dubstep Refix)
Lupe Fiasco – The Cool
Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Heads Will Roll
mic up: *Rave’s Fave + Rockwell – Somebody’s Watching Me (edit)
*The Rocky Horror Picture Show – Time Warp
Beetlejuice – Beetlejuice Theme (Figure Drumstep Mix)
Bo Diddley – Bo Meets The Monster
Green Go – Brains For Breakfast
Skrillex – Scary Monsters & Nice Sprites
Michael Jackson – Thriller (Villains Too Tight Pants Remix) (B3 edit)
Roky Erickson – I Walked With A Zombie

reviewed by
10-29-11

Mark Ronson – A La Modeliste (feat. Erykah Badu, Mos Def & Dap Kings)

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“A La Modeliste” brings Mr. Ronson and an all star cast of features together for a collaboration taken from the forthcoming new Grammy associated RE:GENERATION documentary expected early 2012. The documentary brings together a plethora of popular and iconic producers with artists from different generations. Get familiar with ReGeneration here.

Mark Ronson – A La Modeliste (feat. Erykah Badu, Mos Def & Dap Kings)

ReGeneration (Official)

Rating 8.3

brown8

reviewed by
10-28-11