Band to Watch: Acrylics

[MP3]
Acrylics: "Molly's Vertigo"

Acrylics have been starting to make moves in the New York and Brooklyn areas with their softly produced, 70s pop-influenced jams. "Molly's Vertigo" is easily one of our favorite songs of 2009. By blending organic drums and guitars with gentle keys and synths, Acrylics are able to avoid the tired "new wave" tag and channel a sound, at times, more reminiscent of 70s Linda Rondstadt than 80s dance music. While only three songs are up on their myspace, it's easy to tell that Acrylics are the real deal. The production is first rate (a.k.a. not Lo Fi scuzz) and the songwriting is tight and well executed, with the male/female duo sharing vocal duties. They have management ties to Chairlift and count MGMT, Amazing Baby (ew), Suckers, and Grizzly Bear as some of their top myspace friends. The demo they're shooting for is clear, but Arcylics seem to posses a softer wistfulness and melancholy that helps to seperate them from the pack and add a little more depth to their approach. Definitely a band to watch in the summer of '09.

New Amazing Baby: "Bayonets" mp3

[mp3]
Amazing Baby: "Bayonets"

Brooklyn's Amazing Baby are almost done recording their debut album, but they just couldn't wait to let the world hear what they've been working on. We've got an exclusive mp3 of "Bayonets," a titanic, gleaming rocker from the forthcoming LP, which at the moment is nameless and surely anticipated by someone (but definitely not Matt.) The debut comes on the heels of last year's Infinite Fucking Cross E.P., which hit at the same time their buddies in MGMT started blowing up. The foursome is currently making believers out of Europeans this month, but will be back stateside in the spring to support Cold War Kids, including a Terminal 5 date on April 3. Hopefully they'll have dialed down all the cliches by then.

Artist to Watch Mercy Arms, Playing Mercury Lounge Monday

We wrote about the great new band out of Australia Mercy Arms a bit ago. Now, they are coming to the US to make their live debut at the Mercury Lounge in NY on Monday at 8:00pm. Mercy Arms have been low profile in the US to-date, but we expect that to change fairly quickly. The band is coming off recent dates overseas with White Denim, Cut Copy, Ladyhawke and Amazing Baby. While we'll forgive them for sharing the stage with Amazing Baby, it's great to see them teaming up with some great bands.

More about Mercy Arms after the jump...


The band has picked up a single release on the prestigious UK label Loog Records. Run by ex NME editor James Oldham, the label has seen debut releases in the past from The Bravery, The Horrors and Patrick Wolf. Oldham signed UK sensation Duffy last year, and was previously most known as the UK journalist first to pick up on both The Strokes and The Vines.

Mercy Arms' sound is dark and hazy - at times, recalling current UK fave Glasvegas or friends Cut Copy. Of course, there is also a strong connection to the UK and American post-punk bands of the 80s. The vocals are strong and melodic, cutting through the fuzzed-out mix. We gotta also say there is nothing like a well placed tambourine to brighten up a track. Mercy Arms' sound and look give them the ability to garner fans of the rock, indie and dance scenes. Without sounding overly commercial, their music is accessible and comes from a solid rock background. It's always hard to break bands in the US, and it remains to be seen whether Mercy Arms will be able to move past that, and find success stateside.Yet, they have as good a chance as any other band out there now to do so.

White Denim

Mercury Lounge
NY, New York
10.19.2008

Due to lack of photos on flickr and general assholery on the part of the Stark staff, we have no photos of the show last night.

White Denim - "Sitting" - mp3

CMJ week unofficially kicked off for Stark last night at the Mercury Lounge with a full dose of White Denim, Amazing Baby and Papertrigger.

All we can really say is that we hope Amazing Baby stuck around for White Denim's set so they could see what a real rock band looks and sounds like. (Unfortunately, we saw them cooing with their rhinestone-studded, headband-wearing groupies out at the bar.)

White Denim sounded like an inverted, crazy-ass, 2008-version of the Allman Brothers. Lead singer James Petralli captured a fantastic amalgamation of Greg Allman's southern-soul and growl all while sounding completely cutting edge and modern. The Austin, TX trio focused largely on their instrumental sections, employing tasteful loops, and complex song structures -- the vocals were just the icing on this delicious, bourbon-infused cake of a night. Drummer Joshua Block covered the part of both the Allman's drummers with ease and style. (There's no quicker way into our hearts than a damn good drummer). The set was amazingly tight and their stage energy matched the excitement of their music. Sometimes the hype machine is correct - White Denim might be the best thing we see all week. They play in NY again tonight at Union Hall.

White Denim just released their debut, Exposion today via Topspin -- a direct band-to-fan service also employed by David Byrne and Brian Eno on their recent release. Go HERE to sign up.

**A quick note on the openers...
After a rather unfortunate set by Papertrigger, Amazing Baby took the stage. They basically looked like Spinal Tap, compared to White Denim. Their cliche of the night was TIEDYE (WHOO!) and vintage Jim Morrison-beaded necklaces. Their back-up singers were still off-key and they still don't have good songs - nor do they have a good drummer.
Too harsh? We don't think so.

Breaking News!

"BROOKLYN" BAND AMAZING BABY SUCCEED IN QUEST TO FIT AS MANY ROCK AND ROLL CLICHES ON STAGE AS POSSIBLE

Special Amazing Baby guest star Slash

Amazing Baby "Supreme Being " - mp3
Amazing Baby's pre-show checklist -Roseland Ballroom - 9/18

1. Ineffective off-key back-up singers - CHECK
2. Joe Perry/Slash look-alike - CHECK
3. Imitation Brit-rock frontman - CHECK
4. Mediocre synchronized guitar solos - CHECK
5. Jimi Hendrix tee-shirt - CHECK
6. Awful drummer (aka Stumpy Joe) complete with MGMT headband - CHECK
7. Terrible Songwriting - CHECK
8. Ability to slam Bud-Light bottles on stage with unrestrained passion - CHECK
9. Exaggerated headbanging - CHECK
10. Audience members laughing at band halfway through set (some mixed boos) - CHECK

Rabid Amazing Baby "fanbase"

What rock shirt are you going to wear? Ooh I call Jim Morrison!

Photo Credit Faith-Ann Young

MGMT - Just Announced - Halloween Spectacular

MGMT just announced two Halloween shows in NYC on October 30 and yes, the 31st. They will be playing Webster Hall on Thursday the 30th with Bobby Trimble's Flying Spiders and Music Hall of Williamsburg on the 31st with Amazing Baby, Violens and others. I'm dressing up as a hipster... what will you be?

Tickets go on sale Friday. Presale begins tomorrow (Wednesday) at 10:00am.
Password: congratulations

Don't forget your headbands girls.Photos by Bao Nguyen