live: Girls at Mercury Lounge

"I've Got A Substance That'll Cure Everything"
Opening with a gorgeous, incredibly surreal version of Michael Jackson's (R.I.P.) "Heal The World," it was clear from the get-go that Christopher Owen and Chet White Jr's band of San Fran pop outsiders were going to deliver on the promise of their incredibly sold out, corsage laden debut 7" single. For a band that has only "officially" released two songs, I hesitate to say that Girls played all the "hits" last night at the Mercury Lounge, but, fact of the matter is, they did.While "Morning Light", "Lust For Life", "Hellhole Ratrace" were presented in all their well-worn, fuzz'd out-wah glory, the highlights of the evening were the unknown jawns the band has been testing at places like The Eagle, a leather-clad gay biker bar in their hometown of San Francisco. It should come as no surprise that cuts like "Substance", "Solitude" and "Alright" embody the entirety of California's musical history; from boxcar blues to groove oriented surf-psyche to opiated balladry, not to mention some of the best use of the whammy bar since Wayne's World, it's almost as if Girls liquefied a century's worth of California music, cooked it in a rusty spoon and shot it directly into the mains of the Mercury Lounge. Maybe its the water because while Brooklyn is considered the hot bed of buzz-worthy indie bands, no one, and I mean no one, in Brooklyn is crafting tracks like "Alright", a funky groove oriented surfabily psyche jam that, as Chris Owens said, doesn't need to be played perfectly, because it's just fun. I have nothing else to say, except if you're reading this and do not show up to Monster Island Basement tonight, well, you are a fool.

Oh, and Girls will release a 10" (not 7") of "Hellhole Ratrace", presumably backed with "Solitude" (and others?) on July 6th. Save the date.

Girls "Carolina" from the Midi Fesitval.

we saw: Pains of Being Pure at Heart

"This Love is Fucking Right"
(photo by RichterFit)
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart's show at Mercury Lounge on Saturday night was both short and stellar. Consisting mostly of cuts from their recently released, and 'Best New Music' awarded, self-titled debut, the Brooklyn based twee-gazers sounded super tight, proving that it's Ok to know how to play your instruments and be in a "loft-pop" band. "Come Saturday" was an appropriate and expected highlight, propelling the crowd into a head bobbing, hip shaking dance-by-yourself-party. The band took a no nonsense approach to the evening, banging out one adorable, and oddly provocative, jam after another. The swagger, the sound and the songs, it was all there, making for a highly enjoyable evening with one of the brightest young bands around. As usual, Bill puts it best. "The only thing that could have made it a more perfect evening would have been if it had fallen a week later on Valentine's Day." Indeed.

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart- Come Saturday

new: The Pains of Being Pure at Heart

"Look Your Best Friend In The Eye"

The other day we mentioned that Slumberland finally issued The Pains of Being Pure at Heart's self-titled debut. Like Bill, we think this one is a mega-contender for 'Best New Music.' No doubt about it, POBPAH write some of the catchiest indie pop anthems in recent memory. We're pretty psyched for Saturday's sold-out show at the Mercury Lounge, as you should be too. Got shut out? No worries, as the band will be back in NYC in March for a show at The Bell House.

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart- Everywhere With You

we saw: School of Seven Bells

"Can't Not Seem To Remember My Dreams Lately"
(Photo by redhead canvas)
If you see a show and don't post about it, did you really see it? Well, that was the case with the phenomenal Ghostly showcase, which closed out CMJ at (le) Poisson Rouge roughly 2 months ago. It wasn't long after the Detroit powerhouse released School of Seven Bell's intoxicating Alpinisms, and pairing the synthetic dream-gazers with dapper, micro-popist Matthew Dear couldn't have been a better bill. In fact, it was the best show we saw at CMJ. By far.


School of Seven Bells returned to NYC for a small club show last night at the Mercury Lounge, which was dimly lit and smelled like a Nag Champa factory. The atmosphere was perfect for School of Seven Bells, who appropriately got together during a late-night bonding session on tour. Dreamy, narcotic bangers like "Half Asleep" were shrouded in dense layers of manipulated guitars and pre-programmed drums, while relentless strobe lights forced many to enjoy the show with eyes half open, or entirely shut. This was beneficial, as, for me, the only way to experience School of Seven Bells is to shut your eyes and shake your head, letting blasts of color hypnotize your psyche as waves of sound wash over your entranced body (and mind). The band ran through the majority of Alpinisms, including "My Cabal", "White Elephant Coat", "Chain" and "Iamundernodisguise" during their short, but mesmerizing set. One of our favorite debut's of 2008's, we only wish they'd join Matthew Dear and fellow Ghostly artist (and CMJ show alum) Michna late night for New Years at LPR (2am-8am). Too bad they'll be tearing up Tokyo.

School of Seven Bells "Chain" 11/11/08

in rotation: Forest Fire

"I Don't Like What I've Become"

I have no idea how I found out about Forest Fire, but two days ago their infectious "I Make Windows" came on shuffle. After a little sleuthing, I found out that Forest Fire are a, surprise surprise, Brooklyn band, by way of Portland, specializing in atmospheric, bourbon soaked, tin-shack country folk. Sure, they fall into the extremely broad "Indie" category, but the songs off their record Survival feel more like urban twang or industrial hymns written in an abandoned warehouse in Bushwick than freak folk or goth folk or whatever the sweet folk the kids are digging this week is. Survival, released this summer, is an understated, overlooked gem that feels more like a stepping stone to something bigger than a master statement. Their bio notes that "Survival was recorded over an eight month period in two locations - Brooklyn, New York and Portland, Oregon. “Not all the members of Forest Fire live on the same coastline,” Mark Thresher explains, “So when certain friends roll through town, things happen pretty quickly.” Many of the tracks were recorded live in less than five takes, then maniacally overdubbed by a variety of players. Sometimes there was only one microphone for the entire band. Sometimes they pulled out a few more." If that's not enticing enough, NYC Taper favorite Sharon Van Etten and Nick Deiffs of the Shaky Hands lend their vocals on a few tracks. Oh yeah, and the album is available for free on archive.org, so what are you waiting for? Snatch Survival here, then go buy Cotton Jones Basket Ride's The Archery EP and chew on the wonders of the new East Coast atmospheric folk scene.

Forest Fire doesn't have any dates scheduled, but you can catch The Shaky Hands at the Mercury Lounge Saturday and Sharon Van Etten at Zebulon on Sunday. Both are Bobk-approved and highly recommended.

interview: Delta Spirit

"The Great Spirit of America"
A while back I sat down for an interview with Delta Spirit bass player and badass Jonathan Jameson. Besides having the greatest email account in the history of the world, Jameson knows how to lay down the groovy bits that keep the "dharma bum" tunes together. Delta Spirit rolls into NYC this week and Friday will be my third time seeing them in the past 8 months. There is a reason I keep going back and the reason is Ode to Sunshine. Be sure you catch them at the Mercury Lounge Thursday or Union Hall Friday before they get huge and start opening for Coldplay or Pearl Jam at the Garden.

Chocolate Bobka: There is an innate honesty in the Delta Spirit sound that seems to owe as much to punk rock as it does to old school folk and country music. Who are your influences?

JJ: On the punk side there are some. We like The Clash, Television, more recently the Libertines. I really like the Waterboys, but they aren't really punk. We also love soul music, hip hop and some folk. We are a band that loves big ideas, like social change and redemption, as well as songs about how its hard to date another man's girlfriend. It is that paradox that we are drawn to.

C: I've heard you talk about personal responsibility in the world, and realizing that everyone is apart of the problem, and that it's more important to be part of the solution rather than point the blame on someone, actually owning up to personal responsibility. How does that sort of personal integrity affect your music?

JJ: I guess it leaves us in a slightly more constructive place than a destructive place, because we aren't disillusioned with the idea of fighting against something as much as we are into fighting for something. We made our own record, put it out ourselves, managed ourselves for a while, got some good tours with some friends and now we are working with really great people who we know understand us and whom we deeply respect. It feels good.

C: In the live setting it seems that there is an unfettered equality between band members on stage, something I don't feel/see with alot of other bands. On Ode to Sunshine the writing, recording and producing are all credited to Delta Spirit. most would says its impossible to maintain equality, put egos aside and work for the greater good in a band, especially when your spending X amount of days in a cramped van with the same people. How do you keep it together?

JJ: There was a monk in the 4th century that said living in community is the only asceticism that you will ever need. It really isn't easy, but it is worth it and it does require us to constantly push our egos back. The President of the United States should be forced to be in a band for a year or so. I think they could really learn a thing or two about how to get along. We respect each other and recognize that the band wouldn't be half as good with out any one of us.

C: Ode to Sunshine was essentially recorded live. Was it important for you to capture the essence of your live shows on record?

JJ: Yeah we felt that that was how that album needed to be recorded. I'm not sure we will do it again, but it was right for that album and we are all happy with the results. I think one of the most beautiful parts about it is that it feels like it belongs in time and space. It feels like a living room, not a museum.

C: Delta Spirit is uber-tight live. Has there been anything, instrumentally or an arrangement that the band can't pull off live, or chooses not to try?

JJ: We can't play the last song on Ode to Sunshine. We played it once cause we had our friend playing trumpet, but it still wasn't quite there. It's kind of a thorn in our side. I really want to solve it, to bring it back to life.

C: Does the band have any plans to record in 2008?

JJ: We have already done a bit of recording, and with us you never know what might make the album. So yes, we will be recording as songs come. It may or may not be the final version. We have the blessing of having our own recording gear, so it would be a shame to be lazy with that. we are always looking forward too.

C: The Port O'Brien tour was a great pairing in that both bands have an unbridled sense of working class companionship, loyalty and selflessness. Is there anything you personally took away from touring with those guys, or any other band you've toured with?

JJ: They were so great! We really love them. Real people playing music they love. It's the best. Thankfully we have toured mostly with bands like that.

C: The band seems to embody a working mans integrity. Is there any particular reason for this, or is it simply that you are all so passionate about what you do that you have to work hard...and enjoy yourselves?

JJ: We don't really identify with the culture of Southern California, so in our effort to dig deeper we have found that that is the great spirit of America, not the 'american dream,' but working hard to do something you love. It's what makes us a country of grand possibilities. It may be a bit presumptuous but I also think that that is really one of the deepest human desires. I also think music is a beautiful example of giving love. We work so hard not to just record a bunch of songs so that when we are old we can sit back with our headphones on and listen to all that we have accomplished. No! How absurd would that be!? We work hard to have the chance to share this with other people, to give them a little of ourselves and when this sharing happens something greater than words is established. It is a communion. It is a holy moment, even though it becomes normal to us from time to time.

C: Ode to Sunshine is an album that screams 'vinyl'. any plans to release it on wax?

JJ: One way or another it will be released on vinyl this year. You are right, it may make the most sense like that.

tonight: Rose Hill Drive at the Mercury Lounge

After crushing last night's Jammy awards, Bobka pals Rose Hill Drive will be playing TONIGHT at the Mercury Lounge in what is sure to be another blistering performance. To whet your appetites for their brand of unadulterated rock and roll, we have assembled a playlist of some our favorite rock cuts, both old and new. Head banging is strongly recommended. Show starts at 10:30, we'll see you there!

Special thanks to EekNasty and Giles.

we saw: The Acorn

"The Rhythm Of The Landscape That Is Breathing"

Early Sunday evening I hit up Williamsburg's finest (only) record store/bar, the Sound Fix, for a dinner time set by The Acorn complete with good tunes and FREE PBR! On a scale of one to ten this pairing is a 10 with a few exclamation points. And like multi-instrumentalist Shaun Weadick pointed out, "nothing is finer than playing to the sound of free PBR's cracking." Agreed.

The super chill, yet utterly tight set kicked off with Glory Hope Mountain ballad "Flood Pt. 2," which set the tone for the evening. Like Bon Iver's set a few months back at the Sound Fix, the peaceful cafe like atmosphere of the Sound Fix Lounge compliments The Acorn's sound quite well; mellow, yet vivid, subtle but powerful. Sitting in one of the pews, I couldn't help but feel like I was chilling on a friend's couch. Needless to say, everyone felt right at home. So much so that the band treated the audience to a rare performance of "Plateau Ramble," a song much to quiet to played in noisy clubs. The homeyness of the Sound Fix really gives way to treats like these, just as it did Bon Iver's "Re: Stacks", a song that he never plays because it's oh so soft.

Setlist
Flood Pt. 2
Crooked Legs
Hold Your Breath
Glory
Antenna
Oh Napolean
Plateau Ramble
Low Gravity
Flood Pt.1

If you've yet to catch them during their four night stay in New York, tonight is your last chance. And like the last time we saw the band at the Mercury Lounge, this lineup is no slouch; Papertrigger, The Acorn, Love as Laughter, and the Cave Singers. Definitely worth your $10.

interview (sorta): The Acorn

"Sleep above the mango trees"

Last week I rang Rolf Klausner of the Bobk-approved The Acorn to chat about the band's Glory Hope Mountain, his mother and the bands first trek into the United States of America. What happened next is a mess of digital coding, computer meltdowns and bedroom freakouts. Let me tell you kids, it wasn't pretty. In case you didn't already know, always, and I can't emphasize this enough, always back up everything you do, immediately after you do it. Not an hour later, or a day later, or a week later, but immediately after you're done. Trust me, it'll save you alot of time and anguish. A lot.

Truthfully, I should take my own advice, because after re-listening to Rolf wax poetically on the extensive research he did into his Mother's life (the muse for Glory Hope Mountain, the organic writing process and the bands recent trip to SXSW, I somehow lost the file. I'd exported the track through audacity and saved it as an .mp3 and moved it into my Bobka desktop folder for safe keeping. Two hours later, my new MacBook Pro arrived and I began transfering all my files from my old iBook G4 to my new machine. Unfortunately, somewhere in the digital chaos "the acorn-rolf-interview.aud" and "theacorn-rolf-interview.mp3" were lost. After a week of searching for these files on my external hard drive, old computer and new computer, I have reason to believe they have vanished in a digital black hole. Never shall the world hear Rolf eloquently speak on the organic process of writing and recording Glory Hope Mountain, or how sad he was when the band lost their Speedy Gonzalez bobble head. It's sad, especially since The Acorn are already back in my hood. (Last night they played the first of four shows in NY/BK at Union Hall.) Honestly, I'm a bit saddened by this, mainly because it was by far the best interview we'd conducted for the Bobka so far (no offense Explorers Club, Ra Ra Riot and Someone Still Loves You...), but this was a genuinely fascinating interview and I can't thank Rolf enough for giving up his time to speak to lowly me. With that said, you should give up a bunch of your time this week and catch The Acorn in New York. Why? Because they're fucking awesome. Just go see them this week, you'll be glad you did.

Sunday May 4th- Sound Fix, Brooklyn 6PM (FREE!)
Monday May 5th- Pianos, NYC (with The War on Drugs, part of a Brooklyn Vegan Party)
Tuesday May 6th- Mercury Lounge, NYC (with The Cave Singers, Love as Laughter)

The Acorn comes to America!

video: The Acorn- Flood Pt.1

"You lick your lips and paddle for the levee"

It's no secret that we're big fans of Ottawa's The Acorn and the new video, courtesy of MTV (say what?!?!), does nothing but reinforce our fandom. " After we saw them at the Mercury Lounge, we knew the band was special and this video for Glory Hope Mountain standout "Flood Pt.1" is just another reminder that The Acorn aren't just your everyday Canadian indie band, they're exemplary. We can't wait for them come back our way in early May, especially for the show with The Cave Singers. Until then, get your animated video on.

we saw: Acorn/Phosphorescent/Bowerbirds

"Was it always there, or just distraction?"

Friday night at the Mercury Lounge held one of the best show lineups of the year, and while hard to neglect the hype, the show exceeded all things buzz, and may as well leap into the historical category. The evening kicked into high gear when Ottawa's The Acorn took the stage, performing an assortment of songs from their Bobk-approved Glory Hope Mountain. Their set, which began with "Crooked Legs", consists of a hodge-podge of musical arrangements that at times led to dueling ukuleles. It was clear from the get-go that Glory Hope Mountain comes alive on stage, with songs like "Bad Antenna" and the "Flood Pt.1" taking on a chugging train like quality that felt like Gloria's story jumping off the page and onto the stage of life. A rousing version of "Low Gravity" confirmed all my suspicions that this band is poised for big, big things in the future. Glory Hope Mountain gets proper US release this Tuesday, but we'd still recommend shelling out the extra loot for the limited edition vinyl, which, like we've said before, is one of the most beautiful records we've ever owned. It's that good.

(Photo courtesy of Ihateanarchists)
Usually, our evening would end their, but with a lineup this absurd, it's hard to head out into the night, and with Brooklyn's Phosphorescent (aka Matt Houck) up next, it was hard to imagine heading back out into the Lower East Side any time soon. I'd heard great things about the Phosphorescent live show, and after Friday nights gig, I fully understand why this guy is constantly playing out, and always making waves. Pride was a late 2007 purchase which has kept me warm and cozy all winter long, lending it a certain under the covers like quality, however, on Friday night the last thing I wanted was my blankey. Opening with "My Heroes Have All Been Cowboys", Houck's lovingly strained vocal was spot on all evening, despite members of his band's constant request for the soundman to tweak levels on and off stage. It didn't matter, in fact, once they fixed Matthew's microphone, it was like he was delivering the softest, most sincere church sermon we'd ever heard, as "Wolves", "Cocaine Lights" and "My Dove, My Lamb" took on a crowd silencing, almost religious, tone that left me feeling that Matt Houck's Phosphorescent is going to be making waves for a long time to come.

(Photo courtesy of Ihateanarchists)
I could've left after Phosphorescent feeling satisfied, but on this fateful night I had the pleasure of wrapping things up a dessert set from the Bowerbirds. The room, which had bulged during Phosphorescent's set, had wanned, leaving a quiet set of attentive Bowerbirds fans to finish off the hallowed evening. From the beginning it was story book; someone lit a joint, and the Mercury Lounge was immediately engulfed in the dank stank of NYC delivery service. Lead singer Mark Paulson didn't mind, as he took the stage, only to say "Smells good up here." He is a very idealistic looking young man, almost as if he stumbled out of a dream. And with the songs he delivered, accompanied by Bowerbirds Phil Moore and Beth Tacular on percussion and accordion, it wouldn't be wrong to assume these three stepped out of a long lost world similar to Narnia, minus the hostility and bizarre deer-men. Culling froms songs off of 2007's Hymns of a Dark Horse, the Bowerbirds transformed the Mercury Lounge into their own little bonfire, as if the audience was lucky enough to be taken to their majestic Air Stream, parked somewhere deep in the woods of Appalachian North Carolina. "In Our Talens" and "Olive Hearts" were clearcut highlights, while "My Oldest Memory" whisked me off to a desert island where only swaying palm trees sing. It was that sort of magical evening. And then, off into the wintry mix.

The Acorn- Crooked Legs
Phosphorescent- A Torn Up Praise
Bowerbirds- In Our Talons

coming up: Acorn/Bowerbirds/Phosphorescent

"Keep this wood stove burning"

This ridiculous lineup combines our love of Dead Oceans with my North Cackalacky roots (Bowerbirds are from Raleigh). They have already sold out one NYC show (last night at Union Hall in Brooklyn), so there was no way we were going to miss the Friday night Phosphorescent, Bowerbirds and The Acorn show at the Merc, especially for $10. Yeah, the same amount as a 6-pack of Studweiser tall boys in the Big Apple. If you have any interest in rootsy folk, accordions, and incredible songwriting, well, I'd get your ass to the Mercury Lounge Friday night. If you can't make it, try and catch The Acorn (minus Bowerbirds & Phosphorescent) tonight (2/28) at Maxwell's in Hoboken. It's definitely worth the $1.50 path ride. Seriously.

Bowerbirds playing "My Oldest Memory" in a park in Raleigh

we saw: MGMT

"Baby Girl, Shock Me Like An Electric Eel"

Although we won't be attending February's sold-out Yeasayer/MGMT double bill, we were lucky enough to catch a secret MGMT show last week at The Mercury Lounge thanks to Other Music and a heads-up from McG.

Despite pre-show problems with one of their keyboards (they ended up having a brand new one brought in; the perks of being on a major label) the set began at 10:45 and lasted only an hour, just long enough for our minds to be blown.

Their set covered most of their debut album, Oracular Spectacular, with the exception of 'Youth' and 'Kids.' Highlights included '4th Dimensional Transitional,' 'Of Moons, Birds & Monsters,' and a killer 'Electric Feel.' They also played a few tracks unknown to us, either from their debut EP or possibly b-sides. Overall MGMT was able to harness the strengths from their infectious debut and build on them until the whole place was gripping their proverbial seats, begging for more.

Next time MGMT comes to your town...be there.

Below: MGMT's funkiest number, 'Electric Feel' [off 2008's Oracular Spectacular]: