The Duke Spirit
CMJ lived up to its marathon moniker. For five nights, hundreds of bands played, most more than once or twice. Some new discoveries were made while veteran acts were revisited. All in all, CMJ was a success for any music fan.
Kicking things off on Tuesday, there was a slight miscommunication as the Zola Jesus show at the Knitting Factory was not a showcase. Luckily, there were plenty of options nearby. Making my way to Cameo Gallery, I just missed Zambri but managed to catch Wise Blood and Headless Horseman.
Wise Blood
Read more from CMJ featuring The Duke Spirit, Eleanor Friedberger, Still Corners and more
Wise Blood was an interesting mix of aggressive beats and urgent rapping. Between songs, the banter was a mix of boasting of being the only act to see at CMJ and awkwardly dismissing their set and not knowing what else to play. The Headless Horsemen was a band that covered some familiar indie pop rock territority that was easily accessible. The dual drumming and percussion elements added some good depth.
At Brooklyn Bowl, Live4Ever showcased the talents of some high energy UK acts. Catching The Minutes was an enjoyable blast of hard rock. Guitars were immediate and loud while the lead singer was just as lively. Figo, hailing from New York, was another act that refused to have any drop in intensity. Sometimes you just need hard charging rock and roll without much fuss.
The Minutes
Brooklyn Bowl is a great setting for live acts as the sound is loud and crisp. The Duke Spirit was the headliner for a reason. Lead singer Leila Moss was playfully devilish, posing and prowling the stage with a smile. More impressive was her voice, never falling flat and always energetic. Songs could charge forward with hard rock heaviness but pull back with easy and disarming melodies.
Eleanor Friedberger – My Mistakes
Wednesday was a daytime affair as I caught Eleanor Friedberger and Still Corners. Friedberger had classic pop storytelling down. California tales and easy guitar lines about life and love were simple and evocative.
Eleanor Friedberger
Still Corners, newly signed to Sub Pop, turned the lights down for their brooding pop tunes. Atmospheric and simmering, there was the vitality of fall Sundays to be found in their music.
Still Corners
Oh My Rockness CMJ Showcase
The Minutes
Figo
The Duke Spirit
Eleanor Friedberger
Still Corners
