Save The Date: After The Jump, June 21

In a few short months, it will be Summer and that means the second annual After the Jump Fest! Bigger, better with even more acts and surprise guests, this year the festival takes place along side the city wide music event, Make Music New York (which itself is a part of the worldwide music phenomenon that takes place in 300 cities in 108 countries) on the first day of Summer, June 21st.

After the Jump Fest is the effort of 20 New York City music bloggers whose goal is to help new artists gain exposure while raising money for struggling school music programs. This year, After the Jump is teaming up with The Music Hall of Williamsburg and Galapagos Art Space for a festival stretching from noon until last call. In the next few months, After the Jump blogs will be making more announcements about the festival including new artists and pre-parties. Stay tuned and in the mean time, check out AftertheJumpFest.com for information on our past events and mark your calendars! It's going to be a doozy.

AFTER THE JUMP IS ORGANIZED BY:
themusicslut . batteringroom . disconap . earfarm . ryspace . irockiroll . merryswankster . softcommunication . theunderratedblog . sitdownstandup . watercoolergossip . bumpershine . themodernage . productshopnyc . subinev . punkphoto . poptartssucktoasted . stereoactivenyc . jinners

For press opportunities such as interviews with the organizers or bands, please contact publicity@afterthejumpfest.com
For sponsorship and all requests, contact producer Jennifer Kellas: jkellas@afterthejumpfest.com

Underrated's Top Twenty Songs Of 2007

I have had this list decided upon for some time now, but the thought of rehashing every detail about why these songs are great didn't seem worth anyone's time. In the end, they are good songs and deserve a listen, so I attempted at one-liner summations. Instead of featuring an MP3 for each song, I gave them all the merit they deserve, by providing a zip file at the end. Enjoy!

01. Jukebox The Ghost – Good Day
Yes, its true—every time I listen to this song, I seem to automatically have a good day.

02. Ingrid Michaelson – The Way I Am
Old Navy sweaters or not, Michaelson's sweet romantic song is cozy enough for repeat listens.

03. Mika – Grace Kelly
I had a bit of an obsession with this song when it first came out, and for good reason—the Freddy Mercury-esque stylings of Mika are both nostalgic and impressive

04. Rhianna – Umbrella
Any time you can get "ella ella ella" stuck in your head for all of eternity is a success in my book.

05. Wakey!Wakey! – Clinton Street Girl
I was one block away from pretending this song was about me, but nonetheless its a heart-on-your sleeves tune and ode to the greatest neighborhood of New York.

06. Feist – 1, 2, 3, 4
I don't think there is anyone in the whole world—thanks in part to Apple—that didn't fall in love with this playful ditty.

07. Justice – D.A.N.C.E.
Bringing in the best of old and new dance techniques, Justice's song complemented the mainstream fans and hipsters alike.

08. Kaiser Chiefs – Ruby
This chorus became part of my regular vocabulary for a long time.

09. Ra Ra Riot – Suspended In Gaffa
For some reason, this Kate Bush cover became an immediate favorite—highlighting singer Wesley Miles' impressive falsetto and the stomping orchestral talents of this young band.

10. Vampire Weekend – Oxford Comma
For a band who has jumped into the limelight so quickly, this song shows exactly that reason why.

11. Fujia & Miyagi – Collarbone
I heard this song having no idea who it was, and yet sung it in my head for months afterwards...try sitting still, I dare you.

12. M.I.A. – Paper Planes
I'm not totally sold on Kala, but this powerful and innovative dance number makes the whole disc worthwhile...gun shots and all.

13. Sia – The Girl You Lost To Cocaine
Sia's back with a vengeance with one of the tracks off her impressive new disc, a favorite to belt out when no one else is around.

14. Rilo Kiley – The Moneymaker
I wasn't keen on this side of Miss Jenny Lewis until I saw her perform it live—she owns up to every purr and rasp on the risky tune.

15. Architecture In Helsinki – Heart It Races
Thanks to Pat, I was introduced to this highly intoxicating number, where a simple "bum" will get you moving.

16. Tim Fite – It’s All Right Here
As someone who isn't a fan of hip hop, I have to say I'm quite taken by Mr. Tim Fite and his sarcastic rhymes.

17. The Diggs – Careen
Local boys the Diggs never cease to amaze me, especially in this emotional track off their upcoming sophomore album.

18. Datarock – Fa Fa Fa Fa
There are certain songs I want to turn up really loud and dance like a maniac....this is one of them.

19. White Stripes – Icky Thump
The album wasn't the best, but this track still shows that the White Stripes have something worth holding on for.

20. The Fratellis – Flat Head
There's a certain charm about Scottish boys and this song is quintessentially charming.

DOWNLOAD: Underrated Top Twenty Songs Of 2007 [zip]

Say It IS So! Wakey finally sets his release.

Pat and I may be battling for who can post the most about our dear friend Wakey!Wakey!, but today CMJ was lucky enough to premiere his cover of Weezer's "Say It Aint So" and finally some solid information about his debut album and release party. Horray!

Click here to read and download!

Wakey!Wakey! | Apology Song

It has been a tough week (and it's only Wednesday) and I'm leaving New York tomorrow for a trip out to Chicago to deal with some family business. But it was nice to wake up this morning and feel that excitement again, this time in the form of a Decemberists cover by one of my favorites, Wakey!Wakey!. It's just superb—Mike totally nailed this one. Now I'm even more excited to see what covers we have yet to come...

This is all, of course, in preparation of their debut album release, which hopefully wont be too far from now. I don't know about you, but I can't wait to hear Silent As A Movie in all its glory.

Wakey!Wakey! - Apology Song (Decemberists Cover)

CMJ '07: A Quick Recap

Well, it's over. And I'm still exhausted, but satisfied. I had a great week working and hanging out at Indaba and meeting tons of people along the way. First of all, a HUGE thanks goes out to the wonderful folks at Indaba Music for letting Seth and I take over their work and home space for an amazing lineup of bands. Every person that climbed those stairs was happy they did in the end, and we couldn't have had such a great time without them. All of the bands that played were simply wonderful. I'll have all my pics and a couple videos up in a bit, but for now..let's look at what went on this week.

Best Show (Other Than Indaba): We Are Wolves @ Annex. Wasn't expecting these guys to do much for me live, but I was totally blown away. Talk about a nice way to rock out on a Thursday night. Couldn't have asked for a better experience.

Worst Show: Black Kids @ Annex. Perhaps due to the technical difficulties, but it was an uncomfortable show going experience. Took the band too long to get on stage, and when they finally did, after one song their guitar amp blew out. I still like the band, from the four songs I've heard, but would have passed on this had I known it would have ended this way.

Overrated Act: Cut Off Your Hands. One big "eh".

Underrated Act: Tim Williams. Saw him twice and was completely blown away both times. His album is quickly rising to the top of my favorites this year, and his live show has been brought to new levels with his band. Totally amazing. Followed, of course by Wakey!Wakey!, Mason Proper and...

Best crowd: Jukebox The Ghost @ Indaba. Holy Crap! Packed to capacity and all singing along. I found myself front and center of a sweaty sweaty room and the boys just nailed each number to their adoring fans. The "yeah's yeahs" during "Good Day" was classic. Close second? The intense fans at the Jesse Lacey and Vince Accardi show at Mercury. Pretty cool to see first hand.

Best meet up: Shiv from WOXY! I heard his voice across the way at San Loco and couldn't have mistaken it for anything. Was so nice to finally meet the guy, albeit short. Followed by West Coast favorites, Princeton and Let's Go Sailing.

Best panel: The Almighty Blog. Was horribly disappointed the day before sitting through "PR On A Shoestring" (where they blatantly bashed blogs and gave no help for bands trying to get their names out on a small budget) but was brought back to sanity by the amazing panel for "The Almighty Blog." It was nice to see a very diverse panel with a unique conversation about where we are going in this crazy world of musical journalism.

I didn't see a whole lot outside of Indaba, but must say I had a great week seeing some of my favorite people and bands. Can't say I'm not ready to get back into a regular schedule though. My TV is calling me...

I'm just about ready for this week to be over and to go back to a regular schedule, but not before we host one more day party, and our rockin party tomorrow night. Today marks the welcoming of Princeton, followed by what is sure to be an amazing set from Eagle*Seagull, anchored by our dear friend Wakey!Wakey! I'll be a little late getting to the loft today to finish up some work for the week, but you can bet I'll be in a celebrating mood after that.

PS - Illinois was just added to Saturday night, to replace Catfish Haven. They will go on at 11 PM, following Jukebox The Ghost. Horrah!

The Indaba Loft is located at 268 Bowery, just below Houston. All parties are free, all ages, and 21+ for free beer (until it lasts).

This flyer was not the most recent one, as Mook has been replaced by the Late Greats at 3.

MP3s:
The Sister Lovers - He's Not It
Princeton - Blackbeard
Eagle*Seagull - Your Beauty Is A Knife I Turn On My Throat
Wakey!Wakey - Fallin' Apart

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?!?)

[click to enlarge]

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!

Wakey!Wakey! | Fading Like The Fourth

Like Jukebox, Wakey!Wakey! has taken on his own residency, but at the comfy and snazzy venue Rockwood Music Hall just around the corner. Every Thursday the New York native has wowed the crowd, playing a ton of new songs, some that he had just finished that day. There's one new song that I immediate fell for, a Lower East Side love tune that Mike feels may be too personal, but could be one of the most heartfelt and geniune songs I've heard in a very long time. The video below is not of that song, but I felt the need to mention it. Hopefully I'll get an MP3 or video of it soon. The song below is "Fading Like The Fourth" off of Wakey!'s upcoming album that will be out really really soon (or so they tell me).

i was never a normal girl

Friday was the perfect pick-me-up I needed, a night where three of my favorite bands played, catching up with friends, and all around having a fabulous time. I danced like a weirdo during Jukebox, shouted out requests during Wakey!Wakey! and spent most of A Brief Smile's set going wow with Seth. I left Pianos in a very big smile (all those gin & tonics didn't hurt), and relieved because life has been super busy lately.

As you can imagine, things are starting to get crazy leading up to this year's CMJ, and it's only going to get even more nuts as the time draws near. I'll be able to announce a couple things I've been working on, outside or work, for that week which I'm so excited about. It's going to be a great great week.

I'm finally settled and happy to call my new place home. The weather has changed drastically in the week, with fall creeping in as each day passes. The first cold day (which was yesterday), I always switch from curly hair to straight and it was very strange yesterday to see how long my hair has gotten. May sound weird and you probably don't care, but it's the longest I've ever had my hair in my entire life. Strange, I've missed having one of those "firsts." It's been a while.

As far as new music, I'm finally having a chance to check out a lot of albums I've kept meaning to. I'm loving (in no particular order): Tim Williams, Octopus Project, Kanye West, Le Loup, Kate Nash, Rilo Kiley, Beirut, and Nightmare of You. I'd like to go into more detail on all, but I must be honest -- I'm a bit wiped out. This weekend was far from relaxing, and to be frank -- when you spend all week writing about music its the last thing you want to do on your free time.

But that's not to mean I will continue to neglect you, so here I am spewing my nonsense all over the place. I've caught up on a lot of TV lately. Have you seen Californication yet? I'm loving David Duchovny all over again.

Until next time.

take a deep breath and hold it in

Holy moley. It's finally FRIDAY. I swear these weeks have been kicking my ass, as of late, and with a big move this weekend (to where? nowhere!) I've hardly had a chance to catch my breath. I've been overtly stressed, overtly anxious, and overtly tired and I'm pretty sure it's that much harder because I'm used to summers being relaxed. Not this year, of course.

But that's not to say I haven't had any fun, because I have. I'm at a very good place now in my life, and I couldn't be happier about how things are progressing. Plus, I'm off to London in a couple weeks for a much much needed vacation and to see the parentals (one of which, just met Prince Charles - crazy!) bringing along Pat who will be making his first trip overseas. Yipee!

But one of the biggest honors I've had as of late is being asked to write the liner notes to one of my favorite New York artists, Wakey!Wakey!. He will be releasing a live EP on Family Records, of that fabulous show back in April. I cant even begin to explain (or, okay, give away the liners) how great this guy is. Last night I was at Joe's Pub to see the Undisputed Heavyweights for the millionth time (and they are still as wonderful as always) and we were treated to having Wakey open. I was there with five other gals as a sort of goodbye party for my dear roommate (we will miss you!). All six of us girls were completely enamored with Mr. Wakey!Wakey!. And not just for the beard, I swear. His set was heartfelt and honest. He's quite a charming character, which always seems to invoke lots of chuckles and "aw goshs" but when heading into his last song -- the amazing "Car Crash" the laughs stopped, and Wakey shined. The song [listen here] is brutally raw and at times uncomfortable. But man, I would not have had it any other way.

Undisputed Heavyweights rule. You've heard me praise them enough. Go see them again when they play Joe's Pub for their last night of their summer residency August 24 (that's a Friday, right Wes?) Seth Kallen will be opening.

Speaking of Seth, you must check out his blog. He and Ben from Jukebox The Ghost have been galavanting around England for the past couple weeks, and it looks as though they are having a super time. They even include videos and MP3s (one of which I'll post below). But go check out the blog before they come back stateside and forget how much fun blogging is.

This weekend, I'm off to try and relax while moving everything out of the Lower East Side apartment. Once I get a free moment, I'm going to post an awesome mix that will try and sum up what it's like to live in that part of town. It sure has been fun, but I think I'll enjoy the quieter atmosphere of Chelsea!

Toodles.

• Ben Thornewill & Seth Kallen - Hold It In

So I'm Having A Birthday

Tomorrow I turn 23.

Oh, hey. Yes, still here. Still feeling guilty every day for not updating this thing, but then never having enough hours in the day. Next week I have to get my wisdom teeth out, so maybe that will be the time to let you in on some new bands I've been listening to. And to babble. Babbling on vicodin could be interesting.

But back to this turning 23 nonsense. I love birthdays, no matter if its my own or someone else's. I've never understood why someone doesn't want to celebrate, that whole notion of getting older scares some folks, and because of that they let a fun time suffer. And while I do admit that this birthday is making me a tad bit nervous about my actual state of living, I'm not going to let that deter me from having a grand ol' time. And it shouldn't stop you either.

So for the first time, I didn't plan my own party. For every year since I was old enough to remember, I had every say in the planning department for activities on or surrounding June 1. But not this year. My awfully patient, and very sweet boyfriend decided he was going to throw me a little part-ay. And I must say, he did an amazing job booking bands. In fact, I probably would have the exact same lineup, had I done it myself.

So the shindig is happening on Saturday. You should come by. It's going to be fun. I haven't seen a lot of you in some time and we should put an end to that. And plus, the bands are super frickin awesome. Pat has been interviewing them all week with funny questions, trying to embarrass me. Little does he know that I gave each band $2 and a candy bar to refrain from saying anything too incriminating. Check out the links below, more to come.

Get To Know Your Rachael's Birthday Bash Bands: A Brief Smile

Get To Know Your Rachael's Birthday Bash Bands: The Antlers

Get To Know Your Rachael's Birthday Bash Bands: Wakey!Wakey!

Get To Know Your Rachael's Birthday Bash Bands: Seth Kallen & The Reaction

The info is below. There are six(!) bands, so prepare to come early and stay late.

Saturday, June 2: Pop Tarts Suck Toasted Presents...
Rachael's 23rd Birthday Bash
at The Delancey (168 Delancey St, btween Attorney & Clinton)
Doors at 8 PM
$10, 21+

8:00pm - A Brief Smile (acoustic set)
8:45pm - Pelle Carlberg
9:30pm - The Antlers
10:15pm - Wakey!Wakey!
11:00pm - Seth Kallen and the Reaction
12:00am - Jukebox the Ghost

Wakey!Wakey!, Casey Shea @ Pianos | Cross-Pollination

[Update: I wrote something much more intelligent (at least I think) on CMJ's blog. You can read that here, if you'd like.]

I have to make this quick or else I'll be late to work. I had all intentions of writing this post last night when I got home but as soon as I walked in the door and saw my bed, the rest is history. The sad part is this was all before midnight, but I kind of like my life as an 80-year-old woman these days.

So last night was a night I had been looking forward to ever since Wes informed me this would be going down. I even bought my ticket months ahead of time and had it sitting in my kitchen. Every day I would look at it with excitement, all but yesterday, of course, when I needed it. Funny how things work like that. What I love about Cross-Pollination is that it's like it's own little world where rockstars rule and all the rest of us are there to obey. We come every single week because we don't have a choice. And I swear once I enter the world of Cross-Pollination, it's as though nothing else exists. I don't know where I was really going with this, but just bear with me.

The point is, last night seeing Wakey!Wakey! and Casey Shea, I felt as though I was seeing two of the biggest stars of my life. Not only do I have a deep infatuation with both of these musicians, but there was a distinct energy in the air that couldn't ever be replicated. It was the first time Wakey!Wakey! was playing with a full band, and my god what an amazing experience to see first hand. The piano player better known as Mike Grubbs added not just a couple musicians to the stage, but at times eight people accompanied him! He had a complete string section that was absolutely beautiful, and the most unassuming accordion player at one point. The songs that I had already grown to love were completely fleshed out and brought to a new level by the addition of the rest of the band. It was, hands down, one of the best sets I had seen in a very long time. I almost forgot how good it felt to see one of those kinds of shows, where you are pleasantly shocked from start to end. But that's just what Cross-Pol does to you, right?

Since it was being recorded for a special album release (more on that later), the show was downstairs but also a bit rushed. Casey Shea, also known for his relentless performances fronting my favorites, The Undisputed Heavyweights, was up next. I had seen Casey play solo, or with Jeff Jacobson (also of the Heavyweights) but never with a full-band. Like the true chameleon Shea is, I swear he could do nothing wrong. Last night we were privileged to see a rocking country fueled performance, as if John Lennon were still alive today and collaborated with Ryan Adams. I kid you not. His newest song was even a bit more experimental, the kind all you hipster indie kids would totally dig. Casey is a singer that's voice transcends any genre that tries to box him in. And you know, if you have ever seen this guy perform, that he will never, ever, be boxed in.

Like every Tuesday, the time came for the boys to play some songs together. Their voices were almost made for each other, with Wakey!Wakey!'s wailing a solid match to Casey's melodic rasp. They each played one of each other’s songs, and then the time came for something completely different. I knew these two had to have something bizarre up their sleeves, but never in my wildest dreams did I anticipate what came next.... yes, you never guessed it: Dick In A Box.

Holy crap.

Go see both of these performers before I hit you over the head. That is a public service announcement from the one and only Underrated.

Cross-Pollination: The Mixtape Vol 1

And so it goes. My laptop decided to die on me last week, so I haven't been able to post much when I'm at home. Luckily, I've made a valiant effort in staying in more, getting enough sleep, and going to the allergy doctor every week to tell me something new that I'm allergic to. It's a lot of fun. You should try it some time.

And yet there's one place on a weekly basis that I can go and it feels very much like home. Most Tuesday nights you will find me upstairs at Pianos, where Cross-Pollination takes place. Organized by two overachievers but extreme music lovers, every week I am introduced to two new local talents. But this is not all, after each do their solo set, they then "cross-pollinate" for a short set together. Sometimes it's unreal, sometimes it's a bit iffy, but it's always a unique experience that shows just how innovative and creative musicians today can be, if given the chance.

To celebrate, the wonderful creators have released a free mix-tape of past performers. It's a great collection, and even better than it's free! You will recognize a lot of the artists from this blog, as I discovered most of them there on a random Tuesday night. I wrote a news story about the series and mixtape over at CMJ, you can read that here. Below is the mixtape in its entirety, for more information head on over to Liberated Matter.

01. My Brightest Diamond Hi, Remember Me?
02. Kevin Devine You'll Only End Up Joining Them (Acoustic)
03. Wakey!Wakey! Falling Apart
04. The Undisputed Heavyweights Roll Your Windows Down
05. The Bloodsugars Purpose Was Again
06. Matt Singer Stacy J.
07. Derek James Love Me, Love Me
08. Cloud Cult Pretty Eyes
09. Casey Shea Quinzy Housing
10. Jeffrey Lewis Tell It To Your Heart (Loud Reed Cover)
11. The Lloyds Halfway
12. Jay Mankind Western States (Demo)
13. Ian Thomas SBB
14. Dave Deporis Be Strong