Best Coast made one of their very few East Coast appearances last night at the Group Tightener Party in the Monster Island Basement.  Bethany Consentino noted that the shows in New York were Best Coast’s first appearances outside of Southern California.  It was a late night, and by time Alex Bleeker, Fluffy Lumbers, Coasting, and Highlife finished it was already midnight….and the show still had Best Coast, Ducktails, and surprise guest Small Black to go (for links check and mp3s by most of the bands check out the post from yesterday).

When Best Coast took the stage Bethany was very personable and welcoming to the New York crowd, both talking about enjoying being back in the city as well as talking about why she left. Her cohort Bobb Bruno quietly set up his equipment, a large set of pedals and a couple of guitars.  Bethany mentioned that Best Coast now has a drummer…but on this jaunt out to the East Coast they had to bring the mini-discs.

In all honestly I have started going into lo-fi garage pop and/or psych/shit-gaze shows with low expectations. Bands like Eat Skull, Sic Alps, and occasionally Vivian Girls have all been less than exciting live (all of whom records I enjoy).

But when Best Coast started playing I was instantly intrigued.  It was a combination of Bethany’s personality, Bruno’s reserved manner, and the fact not only did the songs sound as they should…they transferred extremely well to the live setting.  I personally find something extremely comforting about the drum machine/mini-disc player, and felt like it suited the night.  Their set was about 35 minutes long, and the heat in Monster Island provided the atmosphere that Best Coast’s music goes best with…hot and sweaty.  The only thing that could have made it better was if the sun was shining down on us generating the heat rather than the lighting and massive amount of bodies in the basement of the island.   Best Coast played to a packed crowded, and seem to be very well received.  When they joked about an encore the crowd even seemed disappointed.  They were charming as a two piece, and were able to stand out among the fuzzy and reverb… I look forward to seeing them as a full band.  The night was well documented as well, you can tell from these videos that there were plenty of cameras present.

Best Coast- “Sun Was High (So Was I)” live at the Group Tightener Party

[mp3] Best Coast- “Sun Was High (So Was I)”

Best Coast- ” So Gone” live at the Group Tightener Party

Best Coast is on a role right now…with two appearances during CMJ (I say during, because the party last night was not an official CMJ event), and a New York Times write up.

Their first 7″ and tape are sold out, but Group Tightener will be releasing the Make You Mine 7″ this month…the packaging was designed by the always wonderful Drew Heffron.  Rumor has it these are going pretty darn fast…and there might even be a repress already in the works.  Get yours before it’s too late.

Pre-Order the Make You Mine 7″ here.

Links:

• more on Best Coast here.
• more on Group Tightener here.
• Group Tightener’s Website, myspace, twitter
• Best Coasts’ myspace, blog, twitter
• more gprecs video here.

Wild Nothing… a name was completely unfamiliar with yesterday, until it popped up on the p4kst.  Wild Nothing is the solo project of Jack Tatum.  Tatum also plays with Jack and the Whale as well as Facepaint (who might back Wild Nothing in the future).

Tatum is based out of Blacksburg, VA and from what I’ve heard Wild Nothing he makes dreamy pop. Tatum sites Cockatoo Twins, Shop Assistants, the Smiths, and several Swedish bands as influences…but it’s hard not to see the Cure in the guitar riffs of “Confirmation.”

[mp3] Wild Nothing- “Confirmation”

I was able to find a couple more tracks via Delicious Scopitone.

[mp3] Wild Nothing- “Summer Holiday” (Pre-Order the Summer Holiday 7″ here!)

[mp3] Wild Nothing- “Pessimist”

While these tracks have strong pop overtones Tatum shows us his more atmospheric side on “Pessimist,” and I feel that this atmospheric noise is the constant undertone in other two tracks.   I’m picking up little things on “Pessimist” and “Summer Holiday” that remind me in a very abstract way of the Field Mice, and the Microphones…whether it is guitar sound or vocal cadence… it’s there, and I think these songs are going to be in regular rotation for a while on my headphones.  While the music does have a bit of a glam element the vocals are understated giving me a sense that Tatum is going to be growing quite a bit as Wild Nothing.

Wild Nothing’s myspace says that they are on Captured Tracks, and these days that probably means we can expect several releases from him in the next year (see pre-order info for the first 7″ below).  I’m definitely keeping my eyes open…I think there are good things to come.

Links:

• Wild Nothing’s myspace.
• read an interview with Wild Nothing at Chugardism.
• pre-order the Summer Holiday 7″ here.
• more on Captured Tracks here.

While going through the enormous build up of  articles in my google reader from while I was on vacation I came across a short blurb on Pitchfork that Franklin Bruno was releasing a singles collection of his solo work from the mid 90’s.  This instantly registered in my head as something that I must own.

Franklin Bruno is hands down one of the best lyricists in music, and comparisons can really only be made to one person, who Bruno has also been in a band with, John Darnielle of the Mountain Goats.   I was able to catch Bruno play at Pete’s Candy Store during North Side Fest, and his lyrics have been in my head ever since.  Definitely one of the highlights of that festival.

I made by way over to Fayettenam Records website to find out that the CD was not out yet , but you could email for a pre-order.  I’m not sure the number of CDs that they are pressing, but you get some special goodies if you order directly from Fayettenam:

• a free digital companion covers EP featuring: Lou Barlow, “Sit Back and Watch”/ Jennifer O’Connor, “Clean Needle”/ Portastatic, “Tableaux Vivant”/ Laura Cantrell, “Lies On Your Lips”/ Mecca Normal, “Coupon”
• the 1st 150 people to pre-order from Fayettenam Records also get a limited edition 7″ of never before released Franklin Bruno tracks that were recorded during the years of 1992-1998!

I’m not typically the type of person that buys CDs, but this deal it just too good to pass up! And a total steal at only $10!

Here is a bit more about the release from the label:

Local Currency (Solo 1992-1998) gathers songs from long out-of-print 7″ singles and compilations by songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and sometime music critic Franklin Bruno. If you already know Franklin’s work from his collaborations with John Darnielle of the Mountain Goats (both as a key sideman on the acclaimed albums The Sunset Tree and Get Lonely and in the duo The Extra Glenns), his six albums of inspired power pop with Nothing Painted Blue, or his three previous solo albums, you have a good idea of what to expect: richly melodic songs that, even at their most lo-fi, resound with sly wit and a huge heart. (read more about the record here)

I emailed Fayettenam about the Pre-Order, and they told me to Paypal the money.  They instantly sent over the wonderful covers ep as a digital download, and the very next day the CD showed up in my mail box (I guess September is the ‘official release date’)!  Fayettenam was literally the fastest mail order purchase I have ever placed.  They informed me that the 7″s weren’t ready yet, but that they would mail out the record when they get them in September!

This is only Fayettenam Records second release, but they already know how to do things right!

Pre-Order/Buy Franklin Bruno’s Local Currency here! Do it soon to be one of the lucky ones to get the bonus 7″!  I’ve been listening to this CD for the past couple days, and totally love it.  I don’t think you will be disappointed.

More on Franklin Bruno (including pictures, mp3s, and more) here.