Making up your CMJ schedule requires serious ninja planning skills. Bands you want to catch always have overlapping time slots. Sometimes you want to see half a lineup in Manhattan and a different half in Brooklyn. It’s tricky. If you attend night time events AND day parties, you will typically visit 3-4 different venues and behold about 10 bands in a span of 12 hours. Over the course of five days (you can do the math) that’s a shit load of bands. And it’s awesome.
Last night I went to the My Social List showcase held at Webster Hall’s Marlin Room. There was badass, scuzzy post-punk from Bleeding Rainbow. Though it was early in the night, the Kanine Records Philly band showed their grit; the two guitarists shredded like beasts and at one point their bassist jumped off the stage and tore it up while rolling around on the floor (there are a few pics up on our Twitter). Oxford, MS musician Dent May, who released his well-received sophomore album Do Things recently on Paw Tracks, brought some funky electro-rock to the lineup. With groovy bass and pop hints, they put on a fun, I-wish-it-was-still-summer set.
Take one glance at Mac DeMarco‘s Facebook page — where he describes his music as “Jizz Jazz” — and you immediately get a sense that this dude just wants to have a good time. Live, this is exactly the case. He makes lo-fi, dream-pop jams, perfect for just kickin’ back. But almost just as pleasing as his music is his personality: he is goofy, but completely personable, the kind of character that would brighten up and shine in any lineup. From yelling out “Wazzzzuppp,” and throwing shoutouts to his girlfriend who he hadn’t seen since August, to modest crowd surfing and covering a few seconds of The Police‘s “Message In A Bottle,” DeMarco packed a ton of entertainment in just 30 minutes. His latest album 2 dropped yesterday on Captured Tracks.
Even in 2012, Canada’s Teen Daze keeps the chillwave movement alive and relevant. His set was full of beautifully warm, warping beats that seep into your bloodstream and make even the worst dancer (I am not good at all) want to swim the dance floor like a pro. Though his set was short and the room wasn’t too crowded, the place had such good, cozy vibes. A few months back he put out a great record called All of Us, Together, and next month he plans to release yet another called The Inner Mansions on Lefse Records. It’s ambitious, but I am all for more Teen Daze tunes.
Stay tuned for more CMJ coverage!
