To blog or not to blog....

Well here I am...It's pushing 2 o'clock and I haven't posted something to this lame ass blog in over a month. I can tell you that I've been busy during the interim, and now have 2 possibly 3 jobs that I didn't have before this month...and I'll probably see if I can't secure one more aside from the freelance work that I've been doing on the side.

As sad as it seems...I think about this blog a lot, and what it means to me and what its purpose is....I love music in all forms and styles and have since a very young age. I'd like to continue with this blog to my fullest capacity, but its hard juggling a 9am-5pm and then a 11pm-2am job.

This isn't a cop out...be warned. There are 2 album reviews by 2 great artists, and hopefully some pictures and a show review on the horizon for this week, possibly bleeding into next depending on how things go on the job front.

But in the meantime, here's a mash up by Justice I found over at Kanye West's blog of Kanye and MGMT. Just because I'm not always active doesn't mean I'm not always looking for something to write about....

MGMT / Black Moth Super Rainbow / The Ting Tings @ McCarren Pool

With something like 90% chance of thunder storms and an ominously black sky the Sunday of MGMT's pool party seemed like its was going to be a total wash. Even with all the negative energy swirling around, that didn't stop what seemed to be the entire NYC 'hipster' community from showing up and standing patiently in a line that was being rumored to run all the way down to the water front. I showed up early and still waited almost a hour to get inside. As I stood in line I kept getting reports that the sky was beginning to open up and many a friend canceled their plans to stand in line in the rain.

Upon entering the pool I gazed around at the not so packed (yet) grounds. London's The Ting Tings were already on stage getting ready to go on.

As the first act of the day you don't really get as excited as you would for the other bands. As the only band I hadn't seen yet and add to that the praise and exposure that they were receiving over the past few months (go ahead call me neglectful for not getting on the bandwagon sooner), I was very excited...at least intrigued to see The Ting Tings play.

Exhilarating is the only way I can think to describe the band. Everything about them, the sound, their stage presence etc. Felt completely organic. When a band truly appears to enjoy the music and the performance they're putting on its almost as big a selling point as a band putting on the show of the year. The Ting Tings' show was all that and more.

Black Moth Super Rainbow, up next, is one of those bands that I enjoy on record but the last time I saw them I can't say that I was that entranced by them. This time was slightly different. They seemed to be more in sync with each other and added a little more showmanship to the show. I still say that I'd prefer to listen to them in my dimly lit parlor but I'll concede to them living up to the day.

Oh how does it come to this. I too was blindsided by MGMT's rise to fame...it seems that just the other day, The Management, were the blog band du jour. Now they're causing mass hysterics and lines that could put a *insert classic rock band name here* reunion to shame. And all the hype is not with out warrant. Oracular Spectacular, is a jolly ball of good times, and when you think you're tired of that check out some remixes they did of other artists or viceversa and you're back at it finding nuances in the music and choice of styles all over again.

Live the band embraces the free love jam flows while sticking to the straight forward style of indie rock that has got them where they are. They're tight they're entertaining... ... ...What can you say about them that hasn't already been said? Goldwasser and VanWyngarden have created a big sloppy mess and everyone will trail along behind and try and pick up the left overs.

McCarren Pool Parties

Last summer's pool parties were quite memorable. Yeah everyone says the year before was better but isn't that what we always say? There has be a lot of interdweeb chatter about the first show (M.I.A w/ Holy Fuck ), but there hasn't been any sort of official schedule posted anywhere. Until Impose Magazine threw up a few tentative shows scheduled and then it all want up from there with more shows being announced the summer line up looks a little something like this....


McCarren Park Pool 2008 "Schedule"

06/06/08 M.I.A., Holy Fuck *Sold Out
06/10/08 Death Cab for Cutie - Tickets
06/20/08 Gogol Bordello - Tickets
06/26/08 Devo with Tom Tom Club, Dan Deacon - Tickets
06/29/08 The Hold Steady, White Denim
07/17/08 DJ Shadow / Cut Chemist - Tickets
07/25/08 Ween - Tickets
07/20/08 Liars
07/27/08 MGMT, Black Moth Super Rainbow
08/03/08 Black Lips, Deerhunter, King Khan
08/07/08 The Black Keys, Rogue Wave - Tickets)
08/13/08 Wilco - Tickets


*Note:

JellyNYC has (finally) confirmed a lot of artists for this years Pool Parties including (with more to come soon): MGMT, Aesop Rock, Hold Steady, Team Robespierre, Liars, The Breeders, Matt + Kim, Fuck Buttons, The Black Lips, Deerhunter