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November 06, 2007
Neon Lights Alumni Newsletter
I often feel a bit bad when I go deep into praise for the bands D and I book for our Neon Lights shows, only for them to seemingly fall off of MS's radar out of laziness or neglect. Don't we still love them like we used to? Well, of course we do. So in an effort to better express our enduring admiration, I intend to give you a periodic update on the those groups that have been kind enough to legitimize our meglomania, and their recent happenings. This is the product of that intention...
Ola Podrida - "Lost and Found"
David Wingo's hazy, delightful band Ola Podrida conjures images of campfires and back porches. That's a great soundtrack for coach cuddling or laundry folding, but as a video it leaves much to be desired. So, I'm pleased to say that Ola's latest clip is totally, utterly insane in both concept and execution from its first seconds. I'm not sure I even want to ruin the scrunched face head scratching it'll result in by giving you any sort of a content clue. Just go in blind.
the Muggabears - "Guitar Feelings"
Travis Johnson of the Muggbears sent me this new track months ago, but since I have the attention span of 'nipped up kitten, I've only recently discovered that it is predictably quite good. Trav's guitar apparently feels alterantely woozy and violent, and the rapidly shifting tempo can't be helping. But TJ himself seems casually reassuring, clearer than he has been in previous tracks, though no less oblique, lyrically. To marry such a puckish vocal to such warped and dangerous post-rock guitar tones is an unexpectedly satisfying calculation. D said it sounded like Bones, Thugs, + Harmony, but she's got some serious problems.
The Muggabears play with the great Casiotone for the Painfully Alone tonight at Oliver Ackerman's Death by Audio art space in Brooklyn for 7 bucks.
In the lead up to and aftermath of the last Neon Lights show, during my frenzied love affair with this tough to genrify duo, I had searched in vain for this track and been repeatedly mocked by a MySpace "download" button that had no intention of living up to its end of the bargain. Well, now I've got it, and passed it on to you as well. More than the bevy of tracks I posted before. I think that's mainly because its 4 minute run time provides more room to spread out. The band's mini-ditties usually trail off as soon as they've charmed your pants away. Here, despite delivering the usual self contained and utterly adorable thrill of Mary Pearson's middle school vocals, there's time for it to showcase Rob Barber's formidable rhythms and unidentifiable ambience. I think he even gets a few syllables in there.
If you're in New York City tomorrow night, come to the Knitting Factory, where the band is weirdly also playing with Casiotone for the Painfully Alone. Tickets here for merely 8 dollars. Non New Yorkers can spend time not having your soul crushed on the rush hour subway by scrolling through the photos on the band's blog.
De Novo Dahl - "Sexy Come Lately"
(live @ Neon Lights, Union Hall)
Finally, in the "how in the world did we miss this?" file, we have live footage of De Novo Dahl's jumpsuited sex bomb of a summer Neon Lights performance, captured by Charlie at Nerd Litter. I was instructed by band members before hand that their live show would make me question my sexuality, whatever that might be. While studies are still being conducted on whether the same effect can transpire via Google video, I'd at least make sure before watching that you're in a place where a sudden orientation switch will not jeopardize your well being or employment status.
Plans for future shows will be doled out in a quick and efficient manner, but feel free to be our pretend friend at MySpace in the meantime.
Posted by Jeff Klingman at November 6, 2007 04:27 PM
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Comments
It never ceases to amaze me how good the Muggabears are at dissonant/broken instruments songwriting - something that carries over even better in their lives shows. And yeah, that tempo shift right at the beginning is vicious. I hear a little "Bull in the Heather" going on.
Posted by: Phil at November 8, 2007 05:50 PM
