Stereogum Home
December 7, 2006

+/- {Plus/Minus} @ Knitting Factory, NYC 12/1/06

We managed to get down to the Knit last Friday to catch up with +/-, the Brooklyn band behind Let's Build A Fire, one of our favorite releases in these past few months. The tricky time shifting, heart-on-a-sleeve pop lent itself well to the Knit's close quarters. The material took on a new shape when performed live, still polished but without that studio sheen. "Steal The Blueprints" and "One Day You'll Be There" killed, sitting their math pop elements alongside their nice-guy melodies, working wonders on the packed, hometown crowd.

But when a band says, "So we're gonna film a video, hope you don't mind; 'cause you're gonna be in it!," it brings the fourteen-year-old girl outta ya. And so they did, bringing out cameras during a killer "Fadeout," for each member to film himself (and the band) while playing (to the extent possible) -- passing it around to others, and finally off to cameraman friends. Turns out it's part of a multi-city video shoot, that may also be tucked into a tour documentary. Here's what +/-'s Chris told us after the show:

The idea I came up with was to shoot the video ourselves every day on tour through the US, Japan, and Taiwan. Trying to use the same basic shots, but taking advantage of the myriad of different backdrops. Since the song builds over a long time we are afforded the opportunity to shoot it ourselves, until the end. Then we get our friend Gabe (also shooting a documentary on tour with us, so he's there every day) and one lucky person for the audience. Usually a friend, but not always. While on tour with Irving, Brian Canning shot most of those shots.

Can't wait to see it! If you haven't been pulled into the land of positives and negatives, grab these tracks. More at FreeIndie.

+/- {Plus/Minus} - "Leap Year" (MP3)
+/- {Plus/Minus} - "Steal The Blueprints" (MP3)

Chicago's The Changes opened the show, and while we can't confess to walking out converts, they did have a few songs that grabbed us, like "On A String." Here's another, "When I Wake," a soft-and-cuddly dose of indie pop to perk you up on a rainy afternoon.

The Changes - "When I Wake" (MP3)

Also, looks like {Plus/Minus} are playing a NYE show at Knitting Factory with Mates Of State (tix). Maybe you should go? Sure to be better than Times Square.

Posted at 2:48 PM in ,
Tags:  |




-->

8 Comments

roughly how many "favorite albums" do you guys pick out a week?

but im with you. the new album rules.

Posted by: nick at 12/07/06 4:15 PM | Reply
Score = 0 Vote up Vote down

It's good to see that the band is getting the attention they deserve. I enjoy the other half of the group when they play as Versus as well.

Posted by: volume-addict at 12/07/06 5:28 PM | Reply
Score = 0 Vote up Vote down

YAY the changes. get a copy of their album, "today is tonight" and converts you will be.

Posted by: nora at 12/07/06 5:57 PM | Reply
Score = 0 Vote up Vote down

Great band! Never heard of these guys until this post..

Posted by: Jay at 12/07/06 6:11 PM | Reply
Score = 0 Vote up Vote down

'Today is Tonight' is HANDS DOWN my favourite album of the year. Easily.

Posted by: Evan at 12/08/06 12:10 AM | Reply
Score = 0 Vote up Vote down

'Today is Tonight' is HANDS DOWN my favourite album of the year. Easily.

Posted by: Evan at 12/08/06 12:11 AM | Reply
Score = 0 Vote up Vote down

saw the changes opening for someone still loves you boris yeltsin last night. expected people to be there for boris yeltsin, what with all the internet attention, but most folks seemed to be there for the changes. i might have been a convert- the changes were pretty good.

Posted by: tn at 12/08/06 1:11 AM | Reply
Score = 0 Vote up Vote down

the changes are very good. "on a string" is one of my favorite songs of the year. simple, stripped down pop music at its best.

Posted by: matt at 12/08/06 1:33 AM | Reply
Score = 0 Vote up Vote down

Leave a comment


 

The 'Gum Drop

Get our newsletter. MP3s and giveaways weekly.

Search




Sort by:date relevance

Information

  • Contact:
  • About
  • Press
  • Advertising
  • Stereogum RSS Stereogum RSS XML Icon
  • MP3-Only RSS Stereogum RSS XML Icon

Staff

Founder/Editor-In-Chief
Scott Lapatine
Executive Editor
Amrit Singh
Senior Writer
Brandon Stosuy
Columnist
Jon McMillan
Technology & Operations
Jim Jazwiecki
Angela Williams

The Cool Kids

All Stereogum Posts

Band to Watch logo

Band To Watch: Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band

Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band are a new Seattle quintet with a long name. We've been enjoying their self-released Weepy EP, so we thought we'd post something from it. "Dull Reason"'s a an angular, noodling summertime pop jam with hills...

MORE »

Quit Your Day Job logo

Quit Your Day Job: Human Highway

Human Highway is the collaboration between Islands' Nick Thorburn and Royal City-associated songwriter and solo artist Jim Guthrie. Their debut Moody Motorcycle is out next week. A little while ago we posted about two of the album tracks, hushed toe-tapper...

MORE »

Premature Evaluation logo

Premature Evaluation: The Verve - Forth

Ever since Richard Ashcroft flashed us his impressive cheekbones along with "Sit And Wonder" during the Verve's Coachella set, there's been a pretty steady flow of material from the band's forthcoming comeback album Forth. Just yesterday we debuted "I See...

MORE »

Video Hangover logo

Video Hangover: Marcy Playground - "Saint Joe On The Schoolbus"

Every week, we dig in the archives for videos that we find noteworthy, memorable, or just unbelievably stupid. And then, Jon McMillan breaks 'em down for you. This week: Marcy Playground blows their one chance at video immortality.

MORE »

Oldstand logo

OldStand: Rolling Stone, September 13, 1984

Take our ink-stained hands and join us at the OldStand, where Jon McMillan goes to remind everyone what an honest-to-goodness music magazine is supposed to look like. Lots of Huey Lewis (and the News) news lately, so let's go back...

MORE »

The Outsiders logo

The Outsiders: Vol. 17: Bird Show, Hair Police, Hush Arbors

Not all of Stereogum's favorite sounds conform to what folks expect us to cover. In this space, resident Bananafish fetishist Brandon Stosuy focuses on bands, albums, singles, and villages in Sweden that may otherwise pass by unnoticed. This installment's virtual...

MORE »

The 'Gum Drop logo

Centro-matic - "Christmas 83 (Make Fun Of My Sweaters)"

This week's Drop comes from Texas indie rockers Centro-matic. The previously unreleased wintry tune was produced by the band and Matt Pence during sessions for double-LP Dual Hawks, which is composed of half Centro-matic songs and half South San Gabriel...

MORE »