Wednesday@Indaba Loft! Day Two!

Holy crazy crap. It's only day two and I'm already in need of a very long nap. Yesterday was amazing—we had such a weird slew of bands that it worked for everyone. Best moment? Lead singer of Cut Off Your Hands climbing on the ceiling pipes. Mmhmm. Nuts.

Day two is here and I'm so excited for Division Day to be back in New York City and an early evening set from my loves, the Undisputed Heavyweights. With those bookends and incredible acts in between, no nap will be allowed.

Indaba Loft is located at 268 Bowery, just below Houston. All shows are free, for all ages, and free beer for 21+. See you there!

Indaba / Underrated / This Side Up Presents...CMJ

I've been working really hard with the wonderful people at Indaba Music and This Side Up to put together an amazing roster of day shows and a Saturday night party for this year's CMJ. Every day during the festival, you are invited to the Indaba Loft on Bowery and Houston to grab a free drink, learn about Indaba and listen to some of my favorite acts from across the country. I'm so incredibly excited to see everyone, so start planning your schedules and make sure the Indaba Loft is a stop on the way! (Did I mention free beer?!?)

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Indaba Music / Underrated Magazine / This Side Up Sounds PRESENTS...

TUESDAY Oct 16
2 - KRYSTLE WARREN
website
3 - QUINTIS
website
4 - ARIZONA
website| Some Kind Of Chill [mp3]
5 - CUT OFF YOUR HANDS!
website | You And I [mp3]
6 - SOME VELVET MORNING
website
7 - MATT SINGER
website | Outrageous [mp3]

WEDNESDAY Oct 17
2 – DIVISION DAY
website| Tigers [mp3]
3 – MIDDLE DISTANCE RUNNER
website | The Sun & The Earth [mp3]
4 – SETH KALLEN AND THE REACTION
website | Shiver [mp3]
5 – NATALIE PRASS
website | Never Satisfied [mp3]
6 – BEAT RADIO
website | Mexico [mp3]
7 - THE UNDISPUTED HEAVYWEIGHTS
website | Roll Your Windows Down [mp3]

THURSDAY Oct 18
2 – A BRIEF SMILE
website | Big Sky [mp3]
3 – LET'S GO SAILING
website | Icicles [mp3]
4 – TIM WILLIAMS
website | Novel [mp3]
5 – MASON PROPER
website | My My (Bad Fruit) [mp3]
6 – THE JAGUAR CLUB
website | The Sirens [mp3]
7 - MANCINO
website | Five Blades [mp3]

FRIDAY Oct 19
2 - THE SISTER LOVERS
website
3 - THE LATE GREATS
website | He's Not It [mp3]
4 - PRINCETON
website | Blackbeard [mp3]
5 - PEASANT
website
6 - EAGLE*SEAGULL
website | Your Beauty Is A Knife I Turn On My Throat [mp3]
7 - WAKEY!WAKEY!
website | Fallin' Apart [mp3]

SATURDAY NIGHT Oct 20
7 – SURE JUROR
website | The Once-Great Gender Debate [mp3]
8 – THE DIGGS
website | Careen [mp3]
9 – NOUS NON PLUS
website | Allo Allo [mp3]
10 – JUKEBOX THE GHOST
website | Hold It In [mp3]
11 – TBA

See you there!

friday's to do

i have a bajillion posts in my head that maybe i'll get to this weekend. but until then, here's what you should do.

1. vote for Nora!

2. come to this

Blog Show #20

From now on, every 10 shows Nora and I will recap the past bunch of artists. This way, you won't forget just how awesome they are. And our clever banter. And something else...that I can't remember right now. I'm so tired.

But seriously, this is a great mix so do head on over to www.breakthruradio.com and click on "The Blog Show." It's a nice collection for this rainy rainy day.

Playlist!
Let's Call It Off - Peter Bjorn & John
Elegy - Beat Radio
Why Not Me? - Locksley
Pile Of Gold - The Blow
Fille A Plumes - Malajube
Labyrinthian Pomp - Of Montreal
All The Days - Aeroplane Pageant
Our Lies + Your Smile - Via Audio
30 Helens Agree - Morning Theft
So Far We Are - French Kicks
Calendar - Bishop Allen
Trouble - Voxtrot
New Shoes - Paolo Nutini
Closer - Hourly Radio
Ex-Girl Collection - The Wrens
Like Cursing Kids - Kevin Devine
No Ace - Seth Kallen & The Reaction
The World Is Smaller Than You Think - Mason Proper
Ruby - Kaiser Chiefs

Wake me up when it's the weekend.

A Million Miles | Beat Radio

I'm so tired. Like beyond tired. I think I fell asleep while walking to work this morning.

After some much needed R&R tonight, tomorrow I am heading out to Brooklyn (gasp!) for Chris and Pat's new showcase at Matchless. It's been far too long since I've seen Beat Radio, and I'm ready to sing along to all the songs on their debut album. Also on the bill is Mistakes, Life in Bed, and The Lisps.

Beat Radio - A Million Miles

Beat Radio - Ancient As The Stars No. 2

Also on Saturday night is the monthly Crackers United Friction showcase at Sin-e. Hopefully I'll make it there on the way home from Brooklyn (it's really far from my apartment). Check out their post on the show for all the details.

Song Of The Week: Everyone's Starting Over (Diggs Cover) | Beat Radio

Covers can be hit or miss. Sometimes I prefer a band to do a very literal translation of the song into their own realm. This usually helps if they are in a completely different genre, so it still sounds fresh. Other times, I want a whole new caboodle. Like "Heartbeats" by both The Knife and Jose Gonzalez is a good example. Bad example? Ryan Adams' cover of Oasis "Wonderwall." I love me some Ryan, but that cover was god awful.

Anyways.

Beat Radio is working on an EP of all covers, and they were nice enough to send over their cover of The Diggs' wonderful wonderful song "Everyone's Starting Over." You may remember there was a remix of this song by Cassettes Wont Listen. There is a reason for this -- the song is an excellent example of craftsmanship, easily maluable to many interpretations.

I think Beat Radio's cover is absolutely beautiful, slowing down the pace and focusing on the vocals. This = good cover. Take note.

Beat Radio - Everyone's Starting Over (Diggs cover)

Beat Radio is playing December 23 at Pianos and December 29 at Union Hall. Don't forget, you can download their entire debut LP The Great Big Sea here.

Song Of The Week: ancient as the stars no. 2 | Beat Radio

I was just beginning to make a mix for a "welcome back" from turkey vacay, but I couldn't just let this song get lost in the...mix. Beat Radio, a NYC band who has always been at the top of my list, has just released their debut album The Great Big Sea for FREE on their website. Yes. Free.

The whole album is simply fantastic, but I have always had a soft spot for "Ancient As The Stars" ever since I first heard that demo. It was a year ago that I saw them play for the first time. And yes, I still adore the song.

The newer version is even better than the first, adding in some banjo, which is always an underrated instrument. But seriously, go check out the whole LP. Did I mention it's free?

Beat Radio - Ancient As The Stars no 2

Beat Radio is playing The Lucky Cat in Brooklyn this Saturday as well as the Product Shop NYC party on December 23 at Pianos.