the simple mission

Enter Entrance

When I wrote a feature on Entrance three years back, the Baltimore based outsider electric warrior described what he did as "hardcore blues". At the time, he was mostly playing self-penned acoustic tunes that borrowed liberally from old blues standards and covers of old blues standards shot thru layers of lite fuzz and low grade moonshine. But as they say, it used to be like that, but now it goes like this. 

Last night, the recently electrified Entrance visited NY with his new band, The Entrance Band, a confident three piece consisting of Blakeslee, bass and drums. As a guitar player and a band leader, Entrance's sound is very distinct, a mix of near eastern drones with slippery licks and stabbing rhythmic attacks. He plays his guitar upside and strung in reverse, with the low E on the bottom, rather than the top.  One song in, anyone at the show last night could tell he could make a living off of playing guitar alone if it were not for the fact that he wants to take things further. If something should be a crackle, he tries to make it into a firecracker.

Entrance's excellent new LP Prayer Of Death has just been re-released on Tee Pee Records

Patrick Wolf: Live, Later

One of the best things I did recently was move Patrick Wolf's The Magic Position from the (theoretical, I'm all digital, with the exception of vinyl) "albums I should listen to" pile to the "albums I deeply, truly am fucking with" pile. My repeated explorations were rewarded and now I've found one of my favorite LPs of the year. Seeing that I totally slept on seeing Sir Wolf at Hiro and Misshapes, I took a chance that attending his 11PM promo set at the Virgin Megawhore would give me my fix.

Wolf's set was short (six songs) and featured material from TMP, with the execption of one older tune, "the Libertine" but that doesn't say much about just how awesome a performer Wolf is. While most bands lean on the strength of their songs to get them through an in-store, Patrick gave himself to his songs and to his audience. Wolf is talented, sexual, exotic and very different—a true gift and a special lad.

Your man DID NOT phone it in last night

Actually, he did—to call his father in the UK on his birthday. And yes, he used my phone to do it. True Story.

Bonus: Here's a rare Patrick Wolf track I posted way back in support of Voodoo Eros' Enlightened Family compilation

Wolfmother and Joakim: Live Lately

I've been to no less than eleven or so Wolfmother shows and although I've seen them truly destroy (Bowery last year), my boys had been a little flat the past few times I caught them (opening for Gov't Mule, their gig last November at Hammerstein). My expectations for how great/not boring they were going to be at the Blender party at the Gramercy Theatre last week were not very high, so seeing that they stepped their game up on every front was a nice suprise.

It looks as though the Wolfbros have grown into backing up their BIG ROCK BAND shtick (and Grammy) on all fronts. For one, they sounded nastier and looser than ever, at times they were so noisy it was hard to think a big corporate music magazine would pay them to make this sort of racket. I loved that.

On the showboating tip, singer Andrew Stockdale straight up busted out a double neck Gibson for "White Unicorn" and bassist Chris Ross found yet more ways to play an organ like a rocking chair. And, to top it off, they even played some new songs. Very nice.

Despite a very inconvenient venue change from Element to Studio B, Friday's Simple Mission-supported Joakim show turned out totally better than OK and pretty awesome over all.  Those who toughed out the 1AM set time were treated/confronted by Joakim and his band's pleasurable mix of shattershot electro, psychedelic pop, rugged rock and general French Weirdness. Highlights included a wicked live re-edit of "I Wish You Were Gone", album nuggets from Monsters and Silly Songs and marveling at how tall dude is in real life. I'm really, really looking forward to seeing this dude come back to NYC very soon and play to way more peeps. He deserves it. Just sayin'.

Bonus: Cop "Joakim-I_Wish_You_Were_Gone_(JK dub)"  from the Kitsune 2 Compilation  right here.

Joakim! Friday! Tickets! Win!

This Friday, one of my most favorite dance producers, Joakim, will be lighting it up at Studio B with his band the Ectoplasmics as part of my man Eamon's FUN party. Joining Joakim will be a killer line up of DJs: Tim Sweeney, the Bangers and Eamon himself. Peep the flyer below and then keep scrolling for a special something something.

So dig—don't thank us, but as of right this second, the Simple Mission will be giving away two pairs of tix for this jump off. All you need to do is holler at me with with "Fun" in the subject and wait around til 5PM tomm when I pull the winners' names from my inbox. Time's tight, so get those emails popping! Good luck and thanks to the crew at Fun, Studio B and !K7 for the love.

Dispatches

Some worthwhile things:

Saw Hot Chip on Thurs. I was into it, but it wasn't one of their best shows. The Voice did a nicer, more positive review.

I went to a benefit show last night.

One of my favorite dance producers/performers, Joakim, is coming to town on Friday. Stay tuned for some opps to go this cat live.

My boys White Rabbits debuted some new material at their show supporting Richard Swift on Sunday night. Also, they are going on tour with the Cribs for a few days and the mighty Mystery Jets for lots of days. If you have not yet had the pleasure of seeing them, dates are listed on their interweb page. Don't sleep!

Finally, y'all really need to see this film. Really. Truly. You do!

Swarm: The Locust In NYC

I kicked off the weekend with seeing once and forever Simple Mission hermanos the Locust. Nine-plus years after the first time I saw them (in Cambridge, Mass w Jenny Piccolo circa ’97) they still kill it every time they come around. For me, it's not so much about getting lost in the rush and moshing (bad knees, ya know?) but more about wrapping my ears around what they are doing musically and then realizing that these dudes are basically aliens commanding some unworldly sounds and ideas. Trust—in ten years, peeps will look back at this band and realize these cats were like the Ornette Coleman of hardcore.

Daughters opened up the show, but I thought they were weak sauce. People danced and got a little crazy, but I chalk that up to the fact that the band played loud and fast music than anything else. Not a fave.

Locust Machine Music

Le Pit

It's Not Over Yet: Klaxons and Bonde Do Role at Bowery

Photo jack from: Party Ends

Bonde kicked off the show, but the rubber never quite hit the road, ya dig? Chalk it up to the room being half-full, but the all mania that usually surrounds a Bonde show was nowhere to be found last night. The band tried to pull out all the stops (jumping on each other's backs, finishing the set with that tune where they jack the beat from "Man In The Box), but their push was never met with a pull from the crowd. I have a gut feeling the Studio B show will be better, so imma hang tight.

As for the Klaxons, two things should be mentioned. First, they were wayyyy better than the last time they came to NYC. Second, their set last night was very good all around, with a few moments of brilliance and a few minor dissappointments. The first three songs, including "Atlantis To Interzone" and "Totem On The Timeline" came off pretty flat, which is a bummer because those two in particular would have sounded amazing once were in the pocket and comfortable enough to orchestrate the chaos those songs generate.

The mix in the room was weird, one instrument would would sharply rise about the others and create these little pockets of warm noise (the bass sounded particularly excellent). Clearly, the ingredients were all there, it was just a matter of execution and flow. I recall "Golden Skans" and "It's Not Over Yet" coalescing rather wickedly.

Finally, the boys really need to embrace their falsettos. The reason "Gravity's Rainbow" is such is a jam is that when the chorus kicks in at that high register, the whole thing sounds boyish and wonderful. Live, they always sing that part in a lower register and then answer the call with the falsettos. Small things, but they add up. That's the reason I started fucking with this band in the first place.

Touch, Go, Touch, Go Part II

Seeing that the dudes from Music For Robots were nice enough to curate a free show at the Knitting Factory with my favorite new band in NYC, I figured the least I could do was go. As always, the Rabbits killed it with a six pronged attack heavy with percussion, wailing piano runs and timeless, JF*E-inspired indie.  Jon Natchez of Beirut joined the band on a few songs and sent the whole shit thru the roof. Caliente!

Even tho I was dried out, dead tired, I made it a point to see Vietnam on Sunday, mostly because I try to never miss one of their shows. Truth be told, their support gig with the Black Angels was not one of their best shows, but they rocked with nobility so I wasn't mad. Guitarist/part time singer Joshua's voice was shot, but his guitar playing was absolutely killer. When he wants to, that dude can make you hurt.

Farmer Dave, who is poised to join Interpol as a keyboardist me heard, sat off in the corner during their set, looking mellow and playing lap guitar.

There were a few moments that were pretty smokin'.

Touch, Go, Touch, Go

Friday night kicked off with a rock in a sock style assault from Clockcleaner, an obnoxiously shredding trio from the Midwest Philly that wouldn't sound at all out of place on the Touch & Go roster circa ’87. In between picking fights, making offensive jokes and fucking with me for taking photos ("if you take enough, it will be like a strobe light, dude") the three threw down some evil scum rock tunes flecked with passage of noise, hardcore and some super heavy shit that reminded me of His Hero Is Gone (yeah, I totally went there). They talk shit, but they can rock your face off. Check for their new album to drop on the mighty Load sometime soon.

When 1990s hit the stage with their witty pop/mod attack, it was like seeing my musical upbringing in fast forward. First grimy hardcore, then some well crafted, Who-referencing pop. Like many of the cats there, I was there to check "the ex-Yummy Fur" band, who brought out a ton of old school indie heads and packed the room. As for the tunes, they were inspired and snappy, with a sharp focus on hooks and maxi-minimalism. If more indie bands had their panache (and references) I would not be mad at all. 

Perfect Prescriptions

Sorry I haven't been updating this site too often lately. But for what it's worth, here's a short list of what's been bumping at Simple Mission HQ these past few weeks.

Klaxons Myths Of The Near Future (esp. "Golden Skans")
Spacemen 3 Taking Drugs To Make Music To Take Drugs To
Fugazi End Hits
Prinzhorn Dance School "You Are The Space Invader"
Refused The Shape Of Punk To Come
Metronomy Pip Paine Pay The 5000 You Owe Me
White Rabbits - anything
Rocket From The Crypt Scream Dracula Scream
Vietnam Vietnam