It's the only way you'll ever know

Dear friends,

1. Fire in the disco

As some of you may have heard I've been trying to book a night for Jezebel Music at a Polish dance club in Greenpoint called Europa that is branching out into rock nights. I'm not really sure if I'm allowed to say much about the process since technically, it's "work" so instead I'll just say: The Muggabears, The Unsacred Hearts, Mistakes.

Should this be your very first venture to Greenpoint? I think so. And those that live in Greenpoint/Williamsburg, should this be your first venture to the disco that's this (insert gesture of tiny-ness) close to your house? Definitely.

The Muggabears, who I have not had the pleasure of seeing live yet, combine qualities from two of my favorite bands of the 90's: Pavement and Polvo. They have the same fascinating and unexpected instrumental shifts paired with vocals that repeat what could be slogans but sound too crumpled to actually be anything so emphatic. In short: hypnotizing. I would love to put them on a bill with those wacky Emma La Reina kids... oh wait. Never mind. (Whistles, looks innocent)

For fans of the math rock (the only math I like) who've been itching to stand there staring like eagles at the musicians as they make your eyes cross with beautiful guitar squalor.

The Unsacred Hearts, written about recently here are fine, fine men who are so...enraptured (and I don't bandy that word around) with music that you can't help but get sucked into their church of boozy Rock & Roll as well. Sounds like a roadside bar experience you'd rather avoid? Wait. Not quite. Tthis is genuine live band mojo that feels as good as dancing around your living room with your headphones on, not like standing there with your arms folded worrying about the quality of the club bathrooms. Trust me. Or if you don't, trust Earfarm's take on The Hearts live show.

On a side note, frontman Joe Willie is leaving shortly thereafter for a rollicking bike-a-thon through Vietnam with his lovely missus Melissa. I don't know about his biking skills, so this might be the last time you see him, especially if he decides to stay there and write the great American novel, so come wish him well, bring him gifts of travel pillows and books, both dirty and poetic, etc... He'll appreciate it.

Mistakes are one of the very best live acts in NYC. I said so here and so did this gentleman HERE, and he goes to way more shows than I. If you have not had the pleasure of seeing them play ever, I'd recommend you start planning the fixed grin of enjoyment that you will acquire at this show. Guaranteed excellence!

2. The shoe, the gaze, amen

I'm more of a blog-reader than a blogger. This is a fact. Who is a blogger? Well, Merz from Mars Needs Guitars, that's who. I came across Mars Needs Guitars when I stumbled across this shoegaze series with guest writers*, because as y'all know, the shoegaze is a fetish o' mine. I keep coming back every day for the fresh posts on all things that sound real good plus pictures of rockets of course!

Do yourself a favor and make it a daily read.

3. Favorite videos from childhood, part 3

Yes, this one's a doozy. But I'm not alone, my opinion is shared by Contributor Jared, he of the long tooth for Chinese and the scarce but superb contributions to Soft Communication. One day he and I will sing this song at karaoke, thus alienating all of our friends because Jared will most likely take his shirt off AND insist on singing the Philip Bailey part.

Easy Lover/Phil Collins and Philip Bailey (video)



4. A venue I can walk to

Man in Gray is playing with the wonderful Up the Empire at the Brooklyn Lyceum tonight and I could be wrong, but I think there was some mention of burlesque dancers(?!) between bands. That's a first for me...I'll let you know if that’s a good or bad.

Love, D

Bands to see live: The Muggabears, Unsacred Harts, Mistakes

* I really wanted to write to him and ask if I could do one of those but realized that the whole don't even know how to post an mp3 might be a serious problem.