Ra Ra Riot's The Rhumb Line Out today!

The print above is one of my all-time favorites. It's based off a photo I took when Ra Ra Riot was playing in the Schine Underground at Syracuse University a year or two back. It features Wes Miles, who is still the band's frontman, and Shaw Flick who is now a happy newlywed! They've come so far since then...

I feel like this has turned into the all-Ra Ra Riot, all the time channel. I don't mean it to be like that, it's just an exciting time. They got another great review, this time in Pitchfork, which I like a whole lot better than the RS one (see below).

And The Rhumb Line is out today! If you're in NYC, make sure you go over to the Virgin Store in Union Sq. around 7pm for their in-store performance and get your copy of the album. Also, they're going to be on Conan O'Brien on Sept 2. Check out their website for tour dates and more info about what's going on with them.

I'm going to give you some new music so you know that RRR is not all on my mind, or my ipod...

Bad Viens is a duo from Cinncinnati, OH that I originally saw at Pianos when I was working there. I was initially intrigued because the guy was singing through a freakin phone, a house phone...who even had them anymore? And was using a reel to reel. Their set was nothing short of enjoyable and they're apparently playing with VHS or Beta in Kentucky on 8/22.

VHS or Beta seems to play with some really amazing bands. When they played in Rochester this past spring, my friends Magic Hour opened for them and they came back to recommend another one of my favorites these days — Brooklyn's Tigercity. They remind me of Prince in that they are totally built for dancing. Their high-pitched male vocals are subtle, but produce an intense lust in the listener. It's impossible to resist.

Bad Veins - "Gold & Warm"
Ra Ra Riot -"Dying is Fine"
Tigercity - "Powerstripe"

Just A Note

I will not be working with Village Green Productions anymore. New & exciting music endeavors to come, as always. Stay tuned...


Also, check out this Rolling Stone review of Ra Ra Riot's The Rhumb Line. I was really upset by the poetic justice the writer chose to use in describing sensitive subjects of the opening line. Anyone else agree? Disagree? I thought it was a weirdly written article for something that is supposed to be praise. I also thought it was funny that he described Ra Ra's music in terms of Vampire Weekend's music, when VW started out opening for Ra Ra. Just my take, decide for yourself...

Euphoria in NYC

Ra Ra Riot @ Siren Music Festival, 7/19/08

I've already expressed my extreme love of the city compared to my hatred of suburbia, so I would simply like to expand on the prior...

This past weekend, I had the pleasure of attending Village Voice's Siren Music Festival on Coney Island. Due to G train issues and having to take a stupid shuttle bus half the way, we arrived later than I wanted to, missing Annuals and JUST making it for Ra Ra Riot. They were fabulous as always, playing a bunch of new songs from their yet unreleased album, The Rhumb Line. The new album will be out August 19th courtesy of their new family, Barsuk Records. They've made the newest version of Dying Is Fine available for free online! How nice!

Ra Ra Riot - Dying Is Fine
(from new album, The Rhumb Line, to be released Aug 19 on Barsuk Records)
Preorder album here

Apparently, a new drummer has joined the Ra Ra lineup. Gabriel Duquette, formerly of Sam Buck Rosen, started up with the group about a month ago. His playing is more than sufficient, holding the backbone of the band in place despite a lot of uncertainty in the last year. I was unaware of the drumspot switch-up prior to seeing the band on stage that day, but it cleared up a lot of confusion from the shuttle bus ride I mentioned previously. On this ride, I just happened to sit down right next to a fellow named Aaron who mentioned that the new drummer for Ra Ra Riot used to play in the band he plays for now. Upon asking which band this was and he mentioned Sam Rosen, I immediately made the connection since Ra Ra has played with Sam before...but I didn't think Cameron (the old drummer of Ra Ra) had played for Sam...so I was confused. Hence, the clarification upon seeing Gabe on stage once I arrived at Siren. I hope that wasn't too confusing.

The last word about the subject: I haven't been the first, and I'm sure I won't be the last to mention the eerie physical resemblance between Gabe and John [Pike]. I was a little disturbed, honestly. A lovely little video tidbit of Ra Ra Riot performing Too Too Too Fast is below. It's one of the more fun tracks that will be on the new album. I especially love Allie's keys and backup vocals.

Ra Ra Riot - Too Too Too Fast, Siren Music Festival 7/19/08

After indulging in the shade and free drinks of the VIP tent (hay hay), we mosied over to see Broken Social Scene. It has been five years I have been waiting to see this Toronto collective from the Canadian label that can do no wrong, Arts & Crafts, perform full-out and altogether in eurphoric unison. And that's exactly what it was: spiritual and perfect. I was mildly disappointed that they didn't play any of my 3 favorite songs (Looks Like the Sun, Anthems for a Seventeen-Year-Old Girl and Windsurfing Nation), but they did manage to play Cause=Time and a few others that were just as great. Kevin Drew was spotless, the horn section was superfun and the girl (does anyone know her name?) that they picked up off the street, Kevin said, an hour before the performance delivered well...although no one can compared to Amy [Millan, of Stars], Emily [Haines, of Metric] or Feist.

Broken Social Scene @ Siren Music Festival, 7/19/08

All in all, it was a heavenly concert day brought to us by the gods of concert-going. I didn't think it could get better, but I think next weekend has real possibility to rival.

I already had plans to go see my friend, Bear Hands (Brooklyn, NY), play with Ghostland Observatory for free in Prospect Park next Saturday (July 26), but upon checking my email tonight, I was overjoyed to find out that another one of my favorite NYC bands, The Jealous Girlfriends, will be performing as well! I'll be dying and going to concert heaven on Saturday, See ya! The show starts early (6:30pm), so be there or be very very square. This is one of those concert bills that, in my eyes, only comes around once in a blue moon.

I also saw NYC's The Bloodsugars at Pianos the Friday night when I was up. They were fun and fabulous as always.

We have some great Village Green shows this week:

Tomorrow night 7/23: Bound Stems with Dark Room & Sunfold (Members of Annuals)
8pm @ M Room, 21+, $8
Thursday night 7/24: Gang Gang Dance with Prowler & The Popo
9pm @ M Room, 21+, $12
Details, tickets & full roster of shows are at the site: VillageGreenProductions.net

The City vs. Suburbia

In a heavyweight sumo mudwrestling match between The City and Suburbia, who would win?

Let's talk about Suburbia for a minute - I have to drive (with gas over $4 a gallon) to and from work 35 minutes every day. Sometimes there's traffic (roadwork, accidents, idiots...you know, the norm) which is obviously aggravating. After work, I often stop at the supermarket to pick up ingredients for dinner. I have major issues finding produce, let alone healthy-looking, organic produce. Or anything whole grain, whole wheat, unprocessed without a ton of sugar and salt and chemicals in it. I make dinner in a house with no one to eat it and tell me how good it is because all my friends are in The City. Since all the music and art and culture and people are in town, I usually go there at night for a show or plans. Hello to another 35 minute drive (did I mention gas is over $4 a gallon). Then I can't stay too late because I have to drive back home to get to bed to start it all over again.

In The City (and I'm generally referencing cities, but I'm thinking mostly of NYC), I walk to work - or take the subway. Never any traffic or gas prices. I can walk a block or two to a bodega at any time and they are littered with healthy, unprocessed, fresh food - lots of local & organic. Then, the there are usually at least 10 things to do every night and they're usually within your neighborhood. Sure, it's dirtier and things like food are more expensive, but when you think about how much gas money you're saving - it makes it all worth it. Sure, it's nice to have a big kitchen, in a rent-free house (thanks Mom) with central air, a dishwasher, OnDemand and a washer/dryer - but the isolation from everything and gas expense kills it all.

Ok Suburbia, I've had enough of you. Get a grip.
I vote City! Luckily, I'll be up in NYC three weekends in a row starting this weekend. This weekend is The Bloodsugars at Pianos & Siren Music Festival to see Ra Ra Riot & Broken Social Scene! See you there!

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