Friday, April 16, 2010

Free ROOM at the Small Beast This Monday!


Room, the band, is honored to play Paul Wallfisch's eclectic music night "The Small Beast" at the Delancey Lounge, 168 Delancey Street. The setting at the Small Beast calls for rather quiet music, so we rearranged and toned down some of our songs for your listening pleasure. There's NO COVER and special 2 for 1 drinks... so come on out and bring your friends! It starts at 8.30, we are on at 10.30pm, but come early and check out these other great artists:

MONDAY 4/19
8:30 ELISA FLYNN
Elisa Flynn's songs, full of wit and off-kilter, hypnotic rhythms, on topics including love gone wrong in the 1800's, dead birds that are reborn, and the Donner Party, and are delivered in a low-fi, old school punk manner using just her big voice and a hopped-up guitar attached to a pile of effects pedals. Her first solo EP, Dimestore Mary, was called “an addicting collection of music, both raw and rigid in its execution” by womenfolk.net. Elisa played previously with The Happy Ending, Jargon Society, Freak Baby, and the Bunny Brains (well, hasn't everyone been in the Bunny Brains at one time or another?) Her first full length album called "Songs about Birds and Ghosts" was recorded at Emandee Studio by Mark Ospovat, and is now out on her own Cat in a Dress Records.

9:15 ERIN & HER 'CELLO
...pulls from her favorite influences– Peggy Lee, Cole Porter, and Serge Gainsbourg to name a few. In any performance, Erin and Her Cello will light up your night and leave you laughing out loud. (That’s right—laughing out loud.)
“…the standout of the night is clearly Erin and her Cello – an NYC babe with a spunky personality and crystal clear voice who can rock a cello like it’s a Stratocaster guitar.
“Hall is using her experiences and distinctive sense of humor to create a type of performance art that almost defies description.”- Anna Bengel, Backstage.com
Here's her first video: http://www.vimeo.com/7927019

9:45 DAVID NAGLER (+ surprise guests...)
...is a low-fi pop maestro who moonlights as a purveyor of beats with Nova Social and has played with Chris Mills, John Wesley Harding & The English UK, Jon Langford's Skull Orchard, DC Watts, Chris Lee, The Inner Banks, The Ne'er Do Evers, Camphor, Peacock's Arcade, Mascott, Longshoremen and others...

10:30 THE ROOM
A rare New York appearance from the Swiss-American pop craftsman and bon-vivant Roman Game and his international soul gang, Room, rounds out a most eclectic night of music at the Small Beast! "Very, very good. Nice mix of styles, no testosterone metal crap. I hope they go far!"
Captain Sensible, The Damned
http://romangame.blogspot.com

11:30 PAUL WALLFISCH
"...Paul Wallfisch ist und bleibt einer der brillantesten Songschreiber unsere Tage..."~Eclipsed Magazine 3/'1

Saturday, April 10, 2010

The City of Oblivion: Anton Sword in the light

Rocking out in the light: Anton Sword

The Anton Sword Trio will take on the Small Beast again on Monday night, so it’s high time to tell you about the City of Oblivion, the new CD and easily his best work so far, aided by the creative craftsmanship of his band, the We Ours. Let’s take it track by track, and then you come out Monday and enjoy the songs live.

Jar of Gin: A mellow opener, setting the mood: Get out of the basement and step into the light. Sword did himself the favor and moved from the basement to one of the nicest roofs in Williamsburg, his album does the same for his music. It tenderly sparkles and shines and reflects all the love Anton puts into it.

City of Oblivion: I like the voice on this, reminds me of Marc Bolan with just a little bit more melancholy. Great dark noises towards the end. A fitting title track that somehow represents the mood for the whole album: The lonely fighter has found his inner strength to face the demons. Great backing vocals, and look who it is: the unique Kerry Kennedy making a guest appearance.

Like Your Mind: Powerful tune, a melody that sticks in your head and should be picked up for a TV spot for computers, smart phones, or broadcasters, anything. Again, very T-Rexy, easily the radio hit, too, so you should probably make this into a video.

The Lawn: Great intro and an interesting composition. Don’t like the sexy imagery – swan and lawn and magic wand…huh? Would like this more as an instrumental with just the late beach boys-y chorus “the lawn…”

Contaminated: Interesting production, somehow the synth brings out the contamination…the infection. The singing is great on this, the build up towards the end fascinatingly crazy.

Listening: Nice ballad, great atmosphere, story and music go well together.

Sandwich: Love the powerful wall of guitars and droning echoes and sounds, sonically very impressive, with nicely understated singing in the verses.

Anybody (The Glove): Another one for the radio, waiting for the big break through, which is beautifully accomplished by the great guitar duel halfway through the song.

Nowhere: Funky outdoor soft porn music from the 70’s or the 80’s. I can see them shagging in the cornfield, until our singer enters through the back room and spoils it by lamenting loneliness and the tragic loss of dreams…again.

Gone: A great song, which sounds amazing even through the speakers of my computer. I don’t get the lyrics, though, no idea what will be gone, but I like the melody and structure.

The Astronomer’s Lullaby: Beautiful harmonies, bowiesque, romantic, psychedelic glam – all of Anton’s best ingredients. Best vocal performance, in my opinion. The voice is placed very close to the ears, like it should be in a true lullaby.

Friday, April 02, 2010

Room: La Salle ou La Piece?


Thanks to a very international crowd, the evening with Room and the Epicures at Fat Baby became a nicely diverse mix of music, philosophy, stories and friendships. Even the soundman was amazed at how good it sounded - especially considering Burnt is using that little silvery lunch box you see on the floor in the photos as his only amp. Pic by Tobias Klutke - thanx!