Do I Dig This Band? Featuring: The Chakras

Ever heard of this band The Chakras? No? Neither have I. Well, not until myspace started force-feeding them down my throat. This past week or so, Myspace added The Chakras to their featured artists section, who according to their biography are Ireland's "most intriguing band of the moment. Whatever that means. So, I was bored, and decided to take a little look at this "intriguing" new band The Chakras just for the hell of it, and this is what I have to say.

If their singer was a mute, I think I might actually enoy their music. The song I listened to is called "Build Me a Swan." The song actually starts out ok, with swooping electric guitar with extra extra reverb, and lots of ambience, which is hard for me not to love. But, then HE starts singing. At first it's great, then it's the worst fucking thing you've ever heard anyone sing. The song is in the vein of bands like Slowdive, Sigur Ros,and Mew... And I could almost, almost almost almost take this band seriously. It's too bad. Maybe if they were just a very melodic jam/prog band, I could get down with 'em, anything without those vocals, pleeeease.

Decide for yourself. Here's The Chakra's video for "Build Me Swan."
The Chakras 'Build Me A Swan'

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Rats of Nimh present: Le Rug Record Release feat. Le Rug, Kirsten Ketsjer (The Rock band) - 4/28

This post is a little late, but I had to to write something about the Le Rug Record release party that happened on Saturday.

The show was at RayHand's, a kind of bizarre warehouse/loft type space in Park Slope/Carrol Gardens, Brooklyn, that has a lot of potential to be a really amazing place to see a band. The show wa put on by Rats of Nimh, who have been known for throwing parties in spaces you would never think a party could even happen, but somehow turn out amazing.

I arrived at RayHand's a little late, but just in time to catch the awesome set of Danish band Kirsten Ketsjer (The Rock Band), not to be confused with the singer Kirsten Ketsjer. Before their set, Ray (Le Rug) told me that I was going to love this band, but that he didn't really like them. He claimed that they were "too much like that band Deerhunter..." Sounds good to me. Anyways, Ray was right, and I really enjoyed most of Kirsten Ketsjer's set. The songs were very poppy in a Pavement, Wowee Zowee sort of way, and once in a while they would break down into straight-up noise. The perfect combination of sweet pop, and noise destruction.

Le Rug went on around midnight, and played for about forty-five minutes. Prior to their set, Ray told me they would just be playing their songs straight ahead, and they weren't going to have any noise sessions or anything like that (since there were a few reps from various labels in the audience) This kind of bummed me out since I know how well Ray and his band can make spontaneous noise. Still, their set was a very energetic one, but also a remarkably short one despite their twelve song strong set list.

I would really like to see Le Rug again, but not in a situation where they need to impress a corporate/label type.

Here are a couple pictures I took during Le Rug's set. Sorry for the low qualit

Andy Rourke Speaking at Pianos??

Have you heard about this? Andy Rourke, former Smith's bassist is due to speak at LES venue Pianos on May 3rd.

Le Rug show is TONIGHT (4/28)

I made an error in my last post about the Le Rug show. The show is TONIGHT (4/28), and it definitely didn't happen last night (4/27) like i posted before.

LE RUG

Le Rug is the new project of ex-medics singer Ray Weiss. I haven't heard every track from the debut record "Bleenex," but what I have heard off of Le Rug's Myspace page is stellar. Ray has written a batch of new post-punky/shoegazey songs that one could say are reminiscent of early Stereolab, My Bloody Valentine, Built to Spill, and of course, The Fall. But also on the record are some much improved songs that Ray originally wrote for his previous project The Medics (myspace.com/themedics). A good example of an improved song is the new version of the purely shoegaze track "Bomb." The song previously included a prominent arpeggiated guitar line that ascended througout the entire song. On the new Bleenex version of "Bomb," the ascending guitar has been replaced with an arrangementt that has an ascending - arpeggiated slidey synth line. A much better arrangement in my opinion.

Again, the Le Rug are playing their record release TONIGHT at RayHand's Hatmaking Studio, which is off the Bergen St. stop on the F.

For more information visit Le Rug's myspace at www.myspace.com/lerug.
To purchase their record "Bleenex," search LeRug (no space) on Itunes, or go to Cdbaby.com.

Deerhunter at SILENT BARN tonight with Awesome Color, etc.

Acid/Drone-Pop rockers Deerhunter are set to play the second of their two New York City shows tonight at Todd P's Silent Barn in Bushwick. I'm really excited for this show since I've never seen Deerhunter play, and I am anticipating that their live show will be as much a spectacle as their current releases, "Flourescent Grey EP," and "Cryptograms" [Kranky], whose tracks are consistently quite supernal. Though it appears some who have witnessed Deerhunter live couldn't appreciate Deerhunter's somewhat atypical sound. On their Myspace, the band has posted personal accounts of various Deerhunter shows over the past year or two, such as:

" Actual Testimony: "Tonight I saw your group in Nashville. Please, STOP MAKING (what might be concieved as) MUSIC! You have no melodies, there was no songwriting skills involved, lack of chord structures, AND your songs are pathetically too long. It's an embarassment you opened for the yeahyeahyeahs. I turned my back to your group after 2 songs...and I remainded that way until your wannabe art student asses left. I would tell everyone I know not to see you...but it looks as if your front man is about to die. Seriously, get that half-ass man some help. You try to pull off this "shock and awe" pretentious bull-shit and its horrible! Iggy Pop, Velvet Underground, and Black Flag, all used some "shock and awe" BUT they had the MUSIC to back it up! You guys need to either quit for a year or learn how to play your damn intruments! I felt raped of my money tonight. I was ashamed to even play music because you guys are on this earth. I've seen over 100 shows in my life and I've seen bad, believe me, but you guys take the cake.Everyone around me was also disgusted. Stop, please just stop. If I see your flier in my town, I will take it down, if you are booked anywhere within a state of me I will publically speak and tell people not to go. You are a pile of shit in this "thing" we call the music business. Go get a job. Fuckin' wannabe's man....fuckin wannabe's. In the words of a brilliant band called Travis..."Peace the fuck out!" -Pissed and ashamed" (Deerhunter's Myspace Page)

It also seems like people still can't seem to get over the weight of singer Bradford Cox, "...The lead singer looked like he could fall over and die from hunger at any point during the set." (Deerhunter's Myspace Page)

Skinny Singers and bad mouthers aside, this show should be great, and a hopefully trippy experience. Anyone who can appreciate atmospheric, psychadelic pop should definitely head out to the Silent Barn tonight, 10 PM. Deerhunter are at the top of the bill, but the rest of the night isn't too shabby either. Also playing are:
Awesome Color, Dirty Projectors, and Black Moth Super Rainbow.

For more information visit:
www.myspace.com/deerhunter, www.notownsound.net, www.toddpnyc.com, or www.myspace.com/thesilentbarn

Deerhunter's Video For "Strange Lights" off of Crypograms [Kranky]

Le Rug Also playing a show Tonight

Le Rug's Ray Weiss

Even though I'm going to see Deerhunter tonight, another great band that I need to mention also has a show.
Le Rug (Ray Weiss) are playing the release party for their debut record Bleenex. More to come later.

Le Rug at RayHand's Hatmaking Studio
623 Bergen St. (Park Slope), Brooklyn,
All Ages, $5

visit www.myspace.com/lerug
you won't be sorry.