October 24, 2008

CMJ '08: A Day With Women, Dan Friel & Chairlift, Brought To You By The Blogosphere

As the Times recently noted, bloggers are throwing shows and stuff! Ludlow Street during daylight hours on Tuesday was particularly rife with the Wordpressers and Movable Typers, courtesy of Pop Tarts Suck Toasted and The Music Slut parties at Cake Shop and Pianos respectively. Parts & Laborer (and BTW) Dan Friel was first up for me in Cake Shop's musty basement, matching the ceiling's stringed lights with those of his keyboard's, dialing up his BPMs and beats throughout his pitch-shifted synth anthems. No surprises, enjoyed it like last time.

Women were next. One of those bands that's seemingly everywhere, playing as many rooms as will have 'em, grabbing buzz for their (over)booking as much as their worthy self-titled LP. The blog-ubiquitous, scuzz-on-the-beach jam "Black Rice" got the gawkers good, and they hit me as precisely is the sort of band you want to see after a few drinks on a CMJ afternoon, churning occasionally airy and generally beautiful harmonies through a roughed up, throbbing, rattling rhythm section, starting purty and ending noisy. That's how these days go, right? The trek next door to Pianos for the Apple Nano jingle makers closed out my early evening, the room stuffed with people waiting to clap at the first notes of the Jobs-approved "Bruises" (last song of the set, natch). But Chairlift run deeper than just that infectious lifestyle-brand single, of course, hopping from Knife-inspired dance tracks ("Evident Utensil") to silk-sheeted electro love songs ("Planet Health"), and live they're on point, Caroline Polachek twirling in heels, the dudes busy being skinny and locked in on instrumental support and occasional vocals.

WOMEN