It’s been a good nine months since we last held an OSCILLATIONS party at (Le) Poisson Rouge. Which is unfortunate considering our School of Seven Bells show was a resounding success, making us want to throw such a thing on a monthly basis.
That didn’t quite happen, but we’re over it. You see, all that time’s been spent building the best possible bill for self-titled‘s first official CMJ showcase; one that’s related to TV on the Radio, Grizzly Bear, Kanye West and Pitchfork’s Best New Music section. (An unofficial all-nighter–much like last year’s deliciously messy Jay Reatard show–will be revealed in the coming days.) And here it is, with $10 advance tickets available now on LPR’s site…
The Artist: Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson
His Latest Release: Summer of Fear (Saddle Creek)
What’s Been Said: “As dramatic and erratic as Robinson is, his songs never flirt with histrionics, nor do they hide his shameless, troubling relationships with sex and drugs and alcohol. His album is a mess of riffs and poetry you can get drunk on, in the bar or your bedroom.” – FADER
“The gripping, gorgeous Summer of Fear trades fractured gray folk for multihued and ambitiously arranged Americana. To hear the swooping strings on ‘Summer of Fear pt. 1’ or the stately horns parading across the 11-minute ‘Losing 4 Winners’ is to witness catharsis crafted with both passion and smarts.” – SPIN
“Much like Conor Oberst, Robinson may be surrounded by friends and their democratic noises, but his burdens are all his own. The bands and artists already mentioned help provide some of Robinson’s sonic signposts as well. The art-soul bleat of TVOTR is there, though MBAR steers more towards Dylan/Band loose-ended ramble than Bowie-styled museum pieces, putting him more in line with Oberst, Phosphorescent, and even the Arcade Fire.” – Pitchfork
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The Artist: Cymbals Eat Guitars
Their Latest Release: Why There Are Mountains (Sister’s Den)
What’s Been Said: “Plenty of bands want to take you higher and even more are looking to get you down, but it’s increasingly rare to find a record that sounds good with a AAA guidebook and a few hours to get to god knows where, as long as it’s somewhere else…here, the journey is the end not the means; fortunately, that gives Why There Are Mountains astounding replay value.” – Pitchfork (Best New Music)
“The sources for [frontman Joseph D’Agostino’s] inspiration can be obvious–Pavement, Built to Spill, Dinosaur Jr.–but so are his ambition and passion…Seeing the band live drove home the full effect of guileless catharsis: Mr. D’Agostino wears himself out for you. (Like a clutch hitter between swings, he ritually composed himself after every song, wiping down his guitar neck, adjusting his capo, taking a deep breath.)” – The New York Times
“The launching point of ‘Wind Phoenix’ sounds like a moment that ad execs would kill to have in a commercial. Sure it takes a bit of a Malkmus noodling turn after that, but the initial explosion is pure joy.” – You Ain’t No Picasso
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The Artist: Holly Miranda
Her Latest Release: Sleep On Fire EP (self-released; debut LP due out through XL in early 2010)
What’s Been Said: “Whether she’s performing a cappella or surrounded by a full, warm fuzz of music–as on her Dave Sitek–produced forthcoming debut–Miranda is a rare talent. And no, we’re not the first to hear it–she’s already been hyped by Kanye (always Kanye!), The New York Times and Vanity Fair.” – Time Out NY
“While Miranda has experienced success with her other band, Brooklyn outfit the Jealous Girlfriends, this harnesses a different energy. You can hear the influence of New Order as much as you can TV On the Radio, Patti Smith, and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs…consider this fair warning: she’s the real deal.” – Vanity Fair
“There’s a comforting directness to [the small Brooklyn club, Zebulon]: the better the audience reception, the quieter the room gets. But sometimes the room isn’t enough, as was clear on Thursday night, when Holly Miranda’s half-hour set seemed to swallow the place whole.” – The New York Times
“A friend of the Tripwire sent us the new Holly Miranda record a couple weeks ago and we’ve been obsessed with the song ‘Slow Burn Treason’ ever since. Despite the fact she just finished the recording and has yet to announce any release plans (we were told by her management it is coming out ‘later this year’), we’re going to go on the record saying this is the best record David Sitek has produced since Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes.” – Tripwire
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The Artist: Delorean
Their Most Recent Release: Ayrton Senna EP (Fool House)
What’s Been Said: “If The Horrors think they’ve got the drop on the reinvention thing, they might want to have a chat with these lads. From the Basque region of Spain, they started out as emo rockers before morphing into euphoric trance-pop meerkats. Snapped up by hypercool French bloggers Fluo Kids for their Fool House label. This highlight from their Ayrton Senna EP is like mainlining glitter.” – NME (see also: this profile)
“They can be as airy and suave as Air France or Phoenix, but their unremitting beats are also plenty huge enough to convert fans of Cut Copy or MGMT…On the Ayrton Senna EP, the group’s burgeoning dance-pop savvy comes into bloom with three unstoppable summer bangers.” – Pitchfork (Best New Music)
“Aryton Senna is broad, dumb fun, but it’s also immaculate and deeply considered. In short, Aryton Senna is delightful. And that’s not a statement I often make without qualification or exception.” – Cokemachineglow
