The Top 60 Bands (Ryan Saw) At CMJ 2006

[part 4 of 6]

#21 Casey Dienel

I’ve written about Casey before and she was just as endearing as ever during her CMJ show. You know you’re in the middle of an amazing week when you can see The Knife and Girl Talk in the same night. Even more amazing is that I was more impressed by this young songwritter playing to a crowd of 30 than by two of the more popular acts of the festival.

Casey Dienel – Embroidery (live at the Living Room)

Casey Dienel – The La La Song (live at the Living Room)

#22 Fields

This young British band released a great EP last year and at CMJ they proved that they can deliver live as well. Their Fader set was “garagey” by their own token so you can expect them to sound more polished when they play the opening slot on the Bloc Party tour. They also played a private party at Bed while they were in town. Yeah, this place.

With all the record label power behind this band, I have a fear that their full-length might end up being a little too polished. Pat Long of NME sums up my worries in this article. “So when they’re daytime radio staples or soundtracking adverts for cars, and you’re pretending that you never liked Fields, remember how much you enjoyed them while it was safe to.” However, I’m listening to the first single from the album as I read this, and I like it a lot. He kinda sounds like Ben Gibbard fronting Muse with Bloc Party’s drummer. It’s the kind of song that will kill on the British airwaves and one that I’d be happy to hear on US radio (though I won’t).

Fields – Charming The Flames (live at Fader Lounge)

Fields – Heretic (live at Fader Lounge)

#23 CSS

CSS kicked off CMJ week with this rousing set that included crowd surfing (of sorts) over the seated patrons of the Apple Store. My friend Mike got kicked in the head while I tried not to get strangled by the microphone cord. The band was keeping their sound level relatively low and not using a real drumset, but Lovefoxx stole the show with her energy and antics.

CSS live at the Apple Store:
CSS SuXXX
Alala
Fuck Bug Off Is Not The Only Thing You Have To Show
Music Is My Hot Sex
Let’s Make Love And Listen Death From Above
Acho Um Pouco Bom

We also saw CSS the next afternoon at Brooklyn Vegan’s day party. They didn’t feel the need to censor themselves this time around.

CSS live at Pianos:
Fuck Off Is Not The Only Thing You Have To Show

#24 Shout Out Out Out Out

These guys may have a silly name and you not have room in your music collection for another dance rock band, but these guys were one of the best acts I saw at the Fader Lounge all week. I’d love to catch them in a real venue with my dancing shoes on.

Shout Out Out Out Out – Chicken Soup for the Fuck You (live at Fader Lounge)

#25 So Percussion

So Percussion are a four-piece emsemble from Brooklyn who play mostly acoustic instrumental music that leans toward modern classical with a hint of electronics. Minimalist, ambient, experimental, post-rock… those are all words that can fairly be used around to describe aspects of their music. Most of their instruments are traditional, but anything that can be struck, bowed or otherwise co-opted to make a noise is fair game. They’ll play vibraphones with violin bows, strike pieces of scrap metal for cymbals and use anything anything as a mallet, from bottles to flowers to their own eight hands.

So Percussion – White (live at Tonic)

So Percussion – July (live at Tonic)

#26 Casey Shea

Perhaps better known as the lead singer of The Undisputed Heavyweights, Casey Shea also performs his solo material around New York City quite often. He’s a little more serious when not wearing the Heavyweights hat, but puts on just as good a show.

Casey Shea – Quincy Howzin (live at Rockwood Music Hall)

Casey Shea – Come On (live at Rockwood Music Hall)

#27 The Thermals

I have to admit, after 50 or so bands, fatigue was starting to catch up with me at this point in the week. We enjoyed the sounds of The Thermals from the benches in the rear of Fontana’s after watching a song or two up close. I’ll always remember them as the last band to ever open up for Sleater-Kinney before their indefinite hiatus.

The Thermals – St. Rosa and the Swallows (live at Fontana’s)

#28 The Carribean

I decided against seeing any bands in Brooklyn because I prefered to sick around the Lower East Side, but when my roommate sent me on a mission to get his The Knife tickets that he left at home I found myself passing The Trash Bar at just the right time to catch a band I’ve never had the chance to see live. The Carribean have a definite D.C. quality to their sound, like a downtempo Fugazi, along with story-telling vocals similar to Casiotone For The Painfully Alone which match the music perfectly.

The Caribbean – French Radio (live from The Trash Bar)

#29 Dirty On Purpose

Dirty On Purpose closed out a long Friday with a show put on by Crackers United at Sin-e. Light Pollution and No Radio were two of my favorite songs of 2006.

Dirty On Purpose – Light Pollution (live at Sin-e)

Dirty On Purpose – Spider Eyes (live at Sin-e)

Dirty On Purpose – No Radio (live at Sin-e)

#30 Christopher Willits

Stumbling upon Christopher Willits in the Knitting Factory Tap Room at one in the afternoon was a very pleasant accident. Surrounding himself with keyboards and computers and assisted by a live drummer, he played a sample-heavy set of electronic music that was relaxed enough for mid afternoon, but exciting enough to command our attention. It reminded me of a slightly more ambient Four Tet and also drew many comparisons to Vitaminsforyou, my album of the year.

Christopher Willits – Medium Blue/Love Wind (live at Knitting Factory)

Christopher Willits – Orange Lit Spaces (live at Knitting Factory)