Have you witnessed the furor over L Magazine’s “8 NYC Bands You Need to Hear” list on Brooklyn Vegan? Spare yourself, I guess! With much love to all the bands who made it, especially The Beets, here’s my own the list. My exciting eight have been picked with much less consideration for obscurity, but all these bands are still in a position where they could gladly use more hype/love/praises.
Harlem Shakes played an explosive set at their record release party last night. You would’ve thought that the band I last saw at Red Eyed Fly in Austin was someone else. They were often aided by two members of Brooklyn’s Frances, including Julia Tepper; a mighty three-men horn section that consisted of Jon Natchez (previously of Beirut), amongst others; and at one point, by drummer Daoud of Air Waves. They played several older songs that the fans went nuts about, though I myself prefer the newer ones that are much more percussive. Interestingly enough, singer Lexy Benaim’s voice is one of the stronger elements on record, but his band mates’ charged appearances on stage easily overshadow him during live shows. In the end, though, I’m not quite sure if their aesthetic fits within my favorites, but there’s no denying that Harlem Shakes is one of the finer Brooklyn bands around right now. Plus, their drummer Brent Katz is fantastic, and evidently they know how to throw a party.
Download “Stricty Game” by Harlem Shakes
Day 5 in Austin was March 21, 2009. The morning began with a ride to the northern part of the eastern town, where five members of Balmorhea, an instrumental six-piece from Austin, were waiting to play a few songs for our video series, Secret Garden.
