Saturday, 5 Sept


Tinged red and blue by colorful light-bulbs and sitting on the floor around the stage area, the audience at Music ='s benefit party were taken unawares as the performance began unannounced, with a French love song for two voices by medieval composer Guillaume de Machaut.  Jumping forward approximately 500 years, this was followed by a nimble bassoon solo from 1969 by American composer Vincent Persichetti. 
Moving ahead another 40 years, two works written this year were next on the program. 
Matthew Hough made his listeners "uncomfortable, but in a cool way" (according to one audience member) with his candid work for spoken word and alto flute, entitled "You Should All Be Shot."  The flutist, breathing into her instrument and clacking its keys, performed a silent piece while the composer read aloud five reminiscences culled from his time living in Harlem (the title of the piece was once shouted at him while walking along a street in the neighborhood).  The result was humorous, moving, and disturbing, the autobiographical element rendering the experience intensely personal.
Next up was a piece for violin and cello by David Utzinger. The two instruments' graceful musical lines engaged in intimate conversation, creating finely hued music in three movements.
The performance ended with an improvisation for three electric guitars, bassoon, and alto flute, aptly titled "Madness."


check out Music = New Sound at Cafe Orwell in Bushwick this Friday, Sept. 25th.  

Friday, 4 Sept


Playing to a chill audience sat on slouchy, bed-like couches, Owen Lake and the Tragic Loves gave their first full-band performance at Monkeytown last Friday.  As country music covers with an electro spin spun out into the room, colorful, hexagonal shapes were projected onto screens on all four walls, Owen's stiffness in his mustard yellow suit and slicked back hair adding old school country charm.  
Tight vocal harmonies and retro synth patches adorned country classics like "Holding on to Nothin'" and "I Wish It Had Been a Dream," the latter of which featured harmonizing between Owen Lake and guitarist Tommy Byrd, electronic drum sounds, and lots of space between the low, boomy bass and the high pedal steel guitar.
Other highlights: "Walk Softly," with its minor key, dance club feel and impressive steel guitar soloing.
"Pardon Me, I've Got Someone to Kill," a Cocteau Twins-esque opening, the vox and steel guitar expressing the country spirit within a dream pop setting.
"Long Black Veil," electronica inspired beat, rousing electric guitar solo; followed by an upbeat solo from Tommy Byrd, called "Mr. Fool."
"Let's Get Together" Owen and Penny Hunt duet, hip-hop sounding keyboard lick.

[check out kleineKultur's first review of, and interview with, Owen Lake here.]

The sparse, reverberant texture of “Buddy Casey” starts off this year’s gritty, Cimmerian five song EP, Map and a Marker, from Brooklyn duo The Courtesy Tier.  A fissure of light penetrates the dark sound of "Buddy Casey" during the bridge, which attempts to usher in a new, major-sounding key, but this attempt is quelled by the return of the original key.

“Cold” quickens the pace with a complex guitar lick and dexterously performed off-kilter drum beat.  The vehement “Set Things Right” and blues-drone infused “Friend” follow.  Map and a Marker ends on a plaintive note with the bashed-up ballad “While I’m Gone.”

[check out kleineKultur's live review of The Courtesy Tier here.]