Sep 26 : "Chemistry" - Current Profile Song

New Music / Freshly Written & Recently Released (2011)

Philly Music!

BEST SHOW YET!

After I got back to Philly from Hampdenfest, the first band I saw live was The City Music Project which did a weekend show at North Star.

Frank Cervantes, who is half of TCMP's duo, has told me a couple times that, at one time or another, they've had a saxophone player joining them on some shows. I had heard the band play several times, but never seemed to hit the right evening when the duo was a trio ::: until this recent show at North Star.

And I really have to say this was the best show I've ever seen them do. Frank does most of the vocals along with the guitar, while Adrian Palashevsky (goldenSpiral)is the "DJ". The music dwells in its own world of "Multi-Genre", seamlessly blending an array of styles into a complex force. And, at the North Star show there was a third musician, who did play the saxophone in some songs, but then switched over to a mystery instrument the likes of which I've never seen or heard. Looking like a thin oboe or clarinet with a wire coming out of the bottom, the mystery instrument was incorporated into a few different songs with widely varying sounds in each.

I love to see a band doing some true innovation, while, at the same time, not relinquishing their individuality (Do they pass the blindfold test? Listening to them for a few bars, less then a minute, do you have any doubt what band it is?) This show was satisfying on a lot of levels, and I look forward to seeing them again soon.

Current song playing is "Chemistry" by Philly band The City Music Project. This is the fourth track on their cd "Visual-Audio", which was released earlier this year.

The City Music Project · Chemistry

To visit The City Music Project, here is the click ::: The City Music Project (CLICK HERE)

Sep 23 : "Bicycle Diaries"

Right now I'm reading "BICYCLE DIARIES" by David Byrne (of "Talking Heads" fame). an upbeat book about how cities are becoming more livable and correcting mistakes of the past :::: I found this book while browsing at my favorite bookstore, which right now is featuring "NEW BOOKS ON MUSIC CULTURE". I love this place.

================================

7/4/20 ::: OOPS. Sorry. Very sad to say that Penn Book Center recently closed. :(

================================

Sep 21 : "Remote Unelectrified Villages" - Current Blog Song

New Music / Freshly Written / Not Yet Released

While I was at Hampdenfest I ran into Rusell de Ocampo, keys man for Baltimore band "Yeveto". He told me some good news, that the band is going to be coming out with a new album, which will be having its formal release at Windup Space on November 12.

I had heard Yeveto play at Hampdenfest last year and was sorry they weren't going to appear this year. They have a very distinctive sound. It's the only (experimental) rock band I've seen that has a cello as a regular component of its lineup (Amy Cavanaugh is the cellist). In many of the songs the cello plays the melodic line with the guitar joining the drums to provide rhythm.

The music is forceful and dark, very unique. The band has carved out its own place musically.

So what music is going to be on the new cd? Russell didn't say. But one of their new songs that might make an appearance is "Remote Unelectrified Villages" which is playing right here on my blog page.

So I hope I can get down to Baltimore to see their new show in November. The band does a high-power performance.

To visit Yeveto, here is the click ::: Yeveto (CLICK HERE)

Sep 18 : "Social Networking" and "Juanita" - Current Profile Songs

[have been busy with the community group this week, so am behind in my msuic postings :) ]

On another corner of the music world compared to The Flying Eyes, which I featured yesterday, is Raindeer, another band I heard last week at Hampdenfest.

Raindeer played mid-afternoon at the Friends Records Stage at 36th & Elm. This was the first time I had heard Raindeer live. What appeals to me about Raindeer's music is that there is a little more complexity in the instrumentals as well as a variety of textures. I'm just getting acquainted with Raindeer but am friending them everyplace so I can find out about future shows and hear them again.

Current songs playing are "Social Networking" and "Juanita" by Baltimore band Raindeer.

To visit Raindeer, here is the click ::: Raindeer (CLICK HERE)

Sep 18 : I'm Frustrated

Having a difficult time posting music right now, so I will check back and try to write my next blog later.

Sep 11 : "Lay With Me" - Current Profile Song

THE DOORS ON STEROIDS

"The Doors On Steroids". That's what went through my mind as I listened to an excellent show by "The Flying Eyes". The Flying Eyes is a heavy psych band from Baltimore, and the location of the show was at yesterday's annual "Hampdenfest". The Flying Eyes got the day going, playing shortly after noon, at the beginning of a string of shows that went all the way til after 6.. On some of the songs there are some instrumental and vocal stylings that are clearly reminiscent of Jim Morrison and The Doors. However, The Flying Eyes is much more heavy-handed in its work; they definitely have their own style. One of the things I find intriguing about the band's music is that, in spite of their intensity, they still retain a smoothness.

Yesterday was actually the second time I heard them live. The first was back on August 21, 2009, when they played at Ottobar with Bad Liquor Pond. I made a notation at the time that I enjoyed them and that they were worth seeing again, which was why I made it a point to see them yesterday. However, while I liked them before, I was very impressed with them yesterday and will probably up my impressions to include them in a band whose shows I actively have to seek out.

Current song playing is "Lay With Me" by Baltimore band The Flying Eyes.

To visit The Flying Eyes, here is the click ::: The Flying Eyes

Sep 08 : "Face In the Fog" - Current Profile Song

My blog earlier this week was about Philly / LA band "Tygerstrype" which I saw at Kung Fu Necktie back on August 29. I picked Tygerstrype after cross-checking band + venue pages and listening to various samplings.

However, as much as I liked Tygerstrype, that was a last minute idea. I had originally planned on going up to Brooklyn to see Robbers On High Street. But Irene cancelled out train service, so I looked for a good band that I could see without traveling through flood waters.

I originally saw Robbers On High Street one evening back in 2005 when I did the same exact thing as I did last week with Tygerstrype. I listened to samples of various bands playing at various venues, and the one I liked best was Robbers On High Street which was playing at North Star. At that show they played several of their songs from their then new cd "Tree City". Their lineup at the time was similar to that of many other bands.

I was very impressed with them and later saw them again at (at least) M Room, Johnny Brenda's, and Troc. My "band database" of shows that I've attended goes back only as far as 2007, so I might have also seen them another time in 2006 which wouldn't be recorded. I'm quite certain I saw them at least once at Mercury Lounge.

One of the things I like about the band is their experimentation with different lineups of vocals and instruments. When you walk into one of their shows, you never know for sure what instruments or vocalists they might be adding that one night. The most recent time I saw them was at M Room where they had expanded their regular lineup to six musicians. This was on June 10, 2010.

Unfortunately Robbers On High Street has not come to Philly since, and, while they do a fair number of shows, some of the ones in New York have been the night before I have an early morning commitment, so I can't get to them. So, this Summer when I needed an ROHS fix, I had seen this August 29 show as the best possibility.

So what did I miss? I don't know exactly what I missed, but their Facebook page promised an expanded horn section! For a year or two after Tree City, they had a period where their music was a little leaner, but then turned around to bring the music forward with more complex arrangements and orchestrations.

An example of some of the newer work with the more complex arrangements is "Face In the Fog".

To visit Robbers On High Street, here is the click ::: Robbers On High Street (CLICK HERE)

Sep 04 : "Angelic Eyes" - Current Profile Song

I saw Tygerstrype for the first time this past week. Monday night had opened up for me, so I cross-checked the band and venue pages, and saw an intriguing lineup at Kung Fu. Opening was Philly / LA outfit "Tygerstrype". They classify themselves as "electronic experimental pop", with Gabriel Guerrero doing most of the vocals as well as the electronics and Alden Towler playing guitar and doing some vocals as well. The performance was energetic with some very unique melodic lines. It grabbed me right from the beginning. I liked their music.

Current song playing is "Angelic Eyes" by Philly / LA band Tygerstrype.

To visit Tygerstrype on line, here is the click ::: Tygerstrype (CLICK HERE)