posted by Loren on June 21, 2011
Jesse Kivel and Zinzi Edmunson resemble everything beautiful and brilliant about the music industry today. Each time I listen to their track “People Can Do The Most Amazing Things,” these simple words of light in an arena of darkness point towards everything right nowadays. Jesse and Zinzi are the entirety of their dream-pop project they call Kisses, based out of Los Angeles. Yet the appeal remains in that the duo are boyfriend and girlfriend, as Jesse explains on vocals what Zinzi manufactures on the keyboards. Nothing makes me smile wider than the situation Kisses presents. And it only bums me out that they played Make Music Pasadena this past weekend and I, for reasons I’d rather not share, had to miss their set in a bout of sheer ignorance.
Their dreamy 70’s summer disco anthems straddle the line between retro and new age. The acute digital trail the band has left among blogs all compare their sound to a crisper Hot Chip, which can be heard vocally, but their sound is so distinct it leaves the bands polar opposites. Released late last year, their first EP, Heart of the Nightlife, time travels to the 1950’s pool parties with “Women of the Club,” while the majority of the other tracks like “The Heart of the Nightlife” bend towards 70’s disco and pop that illicit more Travolta connotations. Kisses hit an entire retro spectrum while staying modern in their stories; the whole album is definitely worth the listen.
Kisses – People Can Do the Most Amazing Things (Downloaded 437 times)
Kisses – Women of the Club (Downloaded 395 times)
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» Meaningless labels: Chillwave • Disco • Male vocal • Retro • Shoegaze • Vintage
(16 votes)
Loading ...posted by Leigh on November 4, 2010
The Crayon Fields at Public Assembly, photo by Leigh Celent
I thought I’d extend the CMJ madness by a week or so by holding off on my final post about the festival until just now. Yes, I was feeling a bit unresolved too. For whatever reason, most festivals in my world start off really strong, with a bit of freaking out about how to be in endless places in so little time, and then, as are with most things, the freaking tapers off, and I find myself searching for places that I actually want to be for the remaining time that I have. I do not attribute these feelings to a lack of solidly good options toward the end, but rather, to the sheer exhaustion that any kind of initial frenzy can cause.
Anyway. As noted in Indieball’s CMJ pre-coverage, Pepper Rabbit and Wild Nothing were two bands that I was eager to listen to in the confines of a crowd. My eagerness was well selected, as these two shows were the highlight of the last hours of my CMJ world. Pepper Rabbit’s intimate and cozy show at Cameo had the crowd starry-eyed by their deep command of their live sound – the vocals soared ribbon-like throughout the space, with the band overall just having a certain unavoidable harmony, both within their songs and within their performance. They are now touring with The Rural Alberta Advantage, so double coupon day if you can check out that bill. Wild Nothing’s free show at Public Assembly was sardine-packed, their polished sound instantaneously addictive and captivating in a way I can’t really describe. Of course I’ll try – Not even getting pushed, pummeled or stepped on by people working their way through the crowd could take me out of my listening coma.
Not yet discussed on Indieball, The Crayon Fields are pictured above at their show at Brooklyn’s Public Assembly. This Melbourne band’s sound is sweet and dreamy and just damn pretty – check out “Mirror Ball” and “Take Me Where the Light Isn’t Cruel” included here, from their second album All the Pleasures of the World released last year – and you will be guided through a melange of melodic peaks and valleys, with softly swirling lyrical poetry interwoven throughout, with some unassuming Latin flourishes on the latter track. Perhaps what the Beach Boys would sound like if taken down a few notches by The Clientele. I am happily anticipating what these guys will do next.
Be sure to check out all of our CMJ coverage (pre, part 1 and part 2), if you haven’t done so already. Until next year.
The Crayon Fields – Mirror Ball (Downloaded 387 times)
The Crayon Fields – Take Me Where the Light Isnt Cruel (Downloaded 409 times)
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» Meaningless labels: Catchy • Clever Lyrics • Male vocal • Poppy • Shoegaze
(7 votes) Loading ...posted by Patrick on October 17, 2010
I always thought Deerhunder was a bit too . . . something. Quiet. Loud. Angulur. Twee. And much too strange. But the band just played the 9:30 Club in DC, a place near and dear to me (literally – 2 miles), and they put on a terrific show. Somehow, Deerhunter live is all of the above, but in a winning way. The result is some strange hybrid of Pavement and Radiohead, with driving, sometimes screaching, guitars, random loops, obscure lyrics and ethereal voices. Sound like a train wreck? Try it and see.
Deerhunter – Live @ 9:30 Club 10-12-10 (Downloaded 250 times)
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» Meaningless labels: Driven • Fuzzy • Male vocal • Punk • Shoegaze
(3 votes) Loading ...posted by Patrick on October 10, 2010
She Sir is based in Austin, Texas, but hardly seems from there. The band mixes typically British shoegaze–lush harmonies and layered sounds–with some jangle and pop. They’ve just released Yens, the first EP since their debut, a college radio darling back in 2006. Like most of its tracks, Yens is short and sweet, the perfect teaser for a promised full-length LP. You can stream all four tracks from Yens at the Indiecator Records site, which is worth browsing for a bit.
She Sir – Lemongrass (Downloaded 381 times)
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» Meaningless labels: Fuzzy • Shoegaze
(9 votes) Loading ...Cool bands!
November 4th, 2010 at 11:51 am
Great Job Leigh!! Like it alot.
November 4th, 2010 at 8:29 pm
For those of us who only read about CMJ, we’ll never really know how tiring covering it can be! Nice write up on Crayon Fields. They deserve way more exposure here in the U.S.
August 16th, 2011 at 10:33 am
This is exatcly what I was looking for. Thanks for writing!