• Earthquake Tragedy in Haiti [wiki]
  • 10 Ways you can donate [USNews.com]
• M.I.A.‘s New Song Uncovered as a New York Times Diss
  • The Day after I posted the M.I.A. tweeted music video, Fader did some investigation to reveal that the song (which is actually called Space Odyssey) is a protest in response to The New York Times naming Sri Lanka one of the best vacation destinations for 2010.
    • [mp3: AR Rahman ft. M.I.A. - O...Saya]
• Florence Takes Over Zane Lowe, Debuts Remix by The Horrors
  • • [mp3: Florence + The Machine - Hurricane Drunk (The Horrors Remix)]
• New Peaches Music Video: Mommy Complex
• Savoir Adore and Mon Khmer at Mercury Lounge [photos]
• Hot Chip’s One Life Stand Gets Leaked
  • The brand new album by TLC favorite Hot Chip leaked last week and does not disappoint. Check out a stream of Alley Cats below and be sure to catch them on tour and pick up the album once it is properly released.

• New Crookers Music Video: Remedy Featuring Miike Snow
  • • [mp3: Busy P ft. Murs -To Protect & Entertain Crookers Remix]
• January 12th 2010: Rest in Peace to Teddy Pendergrass (59) and Jay Reatard (29)
  • • [mp3: Jay Reatard - Blood Visions]
      • [mp3: Teddy Pendergrass - Only You]
• Change of Heart: Lykke Li and El Perro Del Mar Duet

Hot Chip’s One Life Stand Gets Leaked

MP3: Miike Snow -Billie Holiday or zShare

Head nod to RATCATCHERS for the track!

Miike Snow at Mercury Lounge 9.16.09

As you surely know by now, Miike Snow played 2 shows last week with Jack Peñate at Mercury Lounge. After seeing the supporting Tuesday set, I had a really interesting conversation with the band before their headlining show on Wednesday. It shed new light on Miike Snow and gave me a new appreciation for their music and live show…

Miike Snow took the dark stage wearing white masks at the start of both sets and eased the crowd into their banging show with Burial, the perfect buildup.

Interaction with the crowd was at a minimal but Miike Snow are serious, letting the music and their passion for delivering a phenomenal performance do all the talking. Their headlining set on Wednesday night added Plastic Jungle and had a few minor sound issues that visibly frustrated lead singer Andrew, but did not falter the set at all.

You may not realize it but underneath all of those beautifully constructed layers of drum machines, synths, keyboards, bass and guitar there is some real depth to Miike Snow, it’s a beautiful surprise.  Miike Snow delivered one of my standout performances of 2009, a dance party drawn from a deep place of mystery and emotion. The pictures in this post are from the headlining show on 9.16 just because I liked this set better.

MP3: Miike Snow – Cult Logic or zShare
MP3: Miike Snow – Animal (Mark Ronson Remix) or zShare

Jack Peñate at Mercury Lounge 9.15.09

Back in June we had the treat of seeing Jack Peñate on my birthday at one of Brooklyn’s latest DIY spaces Bruar Falls. It was cool to get a preview of the new album and live set months before Everything is New was to be released. Jack played up the punkish aesthetic with his live set but the 2-night stint at Mercury Lounge with Miike Snow was quite a different show.

Before his set we had the pleasure of chatting with Jack Peñate and he was everything you’d imagine – funny, humble and charming (stay tuned for our exclusive interview.) Tuesday (day 1) was Jack’s turn to headline Mercury Lounge followed by Wednesday (day 2) in which Jack supported Miike Snow.

Beside leaving off Spit at Stars on day 2, the set list remained the same: a rousing journey through calypso nights and heartfully-projected lyrical delivery. Jack’s is definitely a unique voice to be heard in an industry where anyone could projectile vomit an overly-hyped record. Spotted at the show: Adele and Mark Ronson.

Enjoy the pics from both shows below and make sure to catch the Jack Peñate/Miike Snow double-whammy bill before it wraps in October!

MP3: Jack Peñate – Be The One or zShare
MP3: Jack Peñate – Pull My Heart Away (The xx Remix) or zShare

Day 1: September 15th

Miike Snow by anthoNYC 9.16.09

Last night we chatted with Jack Peñate before the 1st of 2 Jack Peñate/Miike Snow shows at Mercury Lounge, and today I sat down with Miike Snow before the 2nd.

Each brought something totally different to the plate, serving a solid set that brought even Mark Ronson and Adele to the yard. Tonight Miike Snow takes their turn as headliner and in turn will play a longer set.

Make sure you catch this dynamite tour when it comes to your town, you will not be disappointed. Check out the interview with Miike Snow below in which they discuss cults, mythological creatures, death, and even finish off each other’s sentences.

Definitely one of our most intriguing interviews. Be sure to stay tuned for our exclusive interview with Jack Peñate coming soon!

MP3: Miike Snow – Burial (Benny Blanco Remix Ft. Neon Hitch) or zShare
MP3: Peter Bjorn and John – It Don’t Move Me (Miike Snow Remix) or zShare

> Andrew, you’ve worked on a lot of projects prior to Miike Snow. I read that you met Christian and Pontus (Bloodshy & Avant) in 2000, is that correct?
AW: No actually we met in 2004. This has been misprinted a couple of times, I don’t know where it came from. But yeah, we met in 2004 at the studio on 54 Street [in New York.] There is a studio in the penthouse of what was Studio 54. Our sessions overlapped. I was leaving as he [Pontus] was coming in, I think he heard the last song of my session and I heard the first song of his session, so we stayed in touch.

‘I never really felt or considered myself to be a part of particular music scene’ – Andrew Wyatt

Andrew Wyatt at Mercury Lounge, 9.15.09

> What was your approach to Miike Snow, coming together with established producers?
AW: I don’t know. I wasn’t doing any mental mind games at the time that we started working, just went in and made it up along the way. There’s no way to know.
CK: We kinda started from a different angle, it wasn’t that we were producers. We got to know each other and we liked the same type of music and you know whatever. It wasn’t about us being producers –
PW: ..and also the sessions differed at least for us. We were just hanging out, boat trips…
AW: Taking bike rides…
PW: …and occasionally we went into the studio…
CK: …and wrote as a song.

> And you (Christian and Pontus) approached it differently as a band performing live…
CW: That’s where we’re from. Me and Pontus have known each other since we were 15 and we were in a lot of different bands together. The weird thing for us was to produce and write for other people. This actually feels more natural and normal for us, kinda like going back to where we came from.

> Are surprised by the reception and success of Miike Snow?
PW: It’s really hard to judge from inside. I think we know the least about whether we’re successful or not or where we are. You can’t really tell. It’s fun to have sold out shows, that’s the only way we can see that ‘Okay I guess some people know about us.’ Other than that, I find it hard to compare us to other bands or the level of success we have achieved.

> A good indicator is that you’re able to tour extensively. How long have you been touring?
CK: Yeah, since May.

About Cult Logic: ‘My brother used to deprogram people in Texas who were in cults…’

> I was at Lollapalooza but only got to see the end of your set BUT I did see you (Andrew) perform with Lykke Li.
AW: Cool man, that was fun. The funny thing is that you can go back and see everything you do on YouTube.  So now the thing for me onstage when I’m doing something like that, performing with Lykke Li, is just to not move. She’s amazing.

Christian Karlsson at Mercury Lounge, 9.15.09

> Could you tell me a bit about the Burial video, it’s beautiful. What concept were you working with?
PW: A friend of ours came up with the simple idea of more or less going to Varanasi…

> Where was it filmed?
AW: Varanasi, it’s like this city of the dead. A lot people go there to get cremated. I think it’s in the Ganges, I’m not sure.

> Were you guys a part the actual filming of the video?
PW: No we bought him a ticket and he just went there
CK: We had some other viral videos that we didn’t’ like at all, so we took it to our friend, played the song and he loved it. He said ‘Just buy me a ticket and I’ll figure something out.‘ He talked a little about what he wanted to do, but we didn’t really know. We told him what we didn’t want, described the vibe of the song and basically just gave him the ticket. When he came back we started to look at what he had filmed.

> One of my favorite songs on the album is Cult Logic, I’m curious to hear where were you coming from with that song.
(Andrew stares off intensely for what seems like 5 minutes as Pontus fills in…)
PW: Um, I don’t know. I think it started off as an experiment with….we had some synth boards chopped up on the computer and then–
AW: My brother used to deprogram people in Texas who were in cults….seriously.

> Oh wow…really?
AW: Yeah. And he worked at a butcher shop at the same time. He would come home from his job at the butcher shop and then go to these centres where a lot of people from cults were being brought. He would try to talk them down, get them to figure out the facts. Someone like David Koresh was not Jesus.

‘I think it’s a lot of fun to hear the ideas that are created from the brains of these talented people’ – Christian Karlsson

> Wow, were you around at that time?
AW: I wasn’t around. I wasn’t living in Texas. It was fascinating.

Pontus Winnberg at Mercury Lounge, 9.15.09

> I would have never known. Now onto something lighter, where did the idea for your logo come from?
PW: Christian’s tattoo artist. We sent her some music and told her that we wanted something with antlers. She didn’t know anything about the jackalope…I mean she’s from Sweden.
CK: We don’t have jackalopes in Sweden (laughs.)
PW: No, I don’t think we have but there might be. I’ve heard stories…

> It’s your trademark now.
PW: The funny thing was that she just made that up not knowing anything about jackalopes; she didn’t know they exist.  We were like ‘Cool a jackalope.‘
CK: She didn’t like that, she still thinks she invented it.

> You’re used to remixing for other people, how does it feel to have your songs remixed now and remixing your own now? A lot of hands in there…
CW: I think it’s a lot of fun to hear the ideas that are created from the brains of these talented people.

> Last question for Andrew. You lived in New York for a while before Miike Snow, do you feel removed from the Brooklyn scene and if not has there been a backlash?
AW: I was never really a part of that stuff. I had a lot of friends that I think are closer to that…and I maintain alot of those friendships, but I never really felt or considered myself to be a part of particular music scene.

Ida Maria Citi Stage Saturday 2:15PM >>

We’ve seen Ida Maria a handful of times this year in intimate venues such as Bell House, Music Hall of Williamsburg and Mercury Lounge so it was interesting to see what she’d do onstage at a festival in broad daylight.

At the beginning of her set I got the impression that she felt a bit constrained and tame waiting to bust out (see pic.) Once she loosened up a bit Ida released her signature growl and shriek, locking in everyone’s attention and awe. The absolute highlight of Ida’s set was when she dumped water onto herself before diving into a spectacular cover of The Stooges I Wanna Be Your Dog.

Chairlift Citi Stage Saturday 3:30PM

Chairlift opened their set with the fabulous cover of Snoop’s Sexual Seduction and set the loungey seductive tone for their hour long set. There were a few sound issues but the trio powered through and delivered a strong set that served as yet another great platform for infiltrating mainstream.

<< Arctic Monkeys Budweiser Stage Saturday 4:30PM

My 3rd time seeing them in one week and I’m not sure i would’ve turned down 10 more opportunities to see them. Arctic Monkeys have matured and progressed in the ways every great band should and this set was an undeniable Lolla highlight for everyone who caught it. A.Turn and co.’s set was 10 min longer than at APW, so a more well rounded performance was able to take shape featuring the achingly epic 505 as set closer. The crowd went seriously bananas (read: crowdsurfing, moshing, pushing, flailing) and the band deserved every bit of excitement and enthusiasm hurled their way. [Jess]

Santigold Playstation Saturday Stage 5:30PM >>

Call me naive but I honestly didn’t think Santigold would draw in the immense crowd that she did on day 2 of Lollapalooza! Bon Iver played the Playstation stage the night before as well and surprised me with the number of people squeezed in to catch his set.

Santigold donned a gold jumper and gold sneakers to a huge crowd that ranged from ghetto to prep. It was pretty awesome sweating my ass off in Chicago with a bunch of strangers chanting “Brooklyn we go hard, we go hard!” in unison..if only they knew the half of it!

MP3: Basement Jaxx Featuring Santigold – Saga or zShare

Glasvegas Vitamin Water Stage Saturday 5:30 PM

Glasvegas’ crowd was surprisingly subdued, most likely due to the fact that the crowds were stalled across the park as the overwhelmingly large Arctic Monkeys crowd was leaving and the just as incredibly large Santigold crowd was filing it. Despite the serious festival gridlock, Glasvegas played a tight set as more and more fans trickled in to catch James Allan expertly belt out favorites like Geraldine and Daddy’s Gone. [Jess]

<< Lykke Li Citi Stage Saturday 6:30PM

I had to unfortunately leave the Santigold set a few minutes early in order to make it in time for Lykke Li. I saw her only one week prior at All Points West but I just can’t get enough of her captivating set. Her set from Lollapalooza was extra special in that she brought on Miike Snow singer Andrew Wyatt for the cover of Kings of Leon’s Knocked Up. It was a great and unexpected treat!

MP3: Miike Snow – Plastic Jungle or zShare

Yeah Yeah Yeahs Budweiser Stage Saturday 8PM >>

One week prior we caught Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ killer set at All Points West, so this time around it was all about singing and dancing our asses off. We found a comfortable spot and literally danced until we were (almost) dead, scaring bystanders! Jess said it best:  it was our own Saturday night dance party featuring Yeah Yeah Yeahs! Indeed it was, and also a great prelude to another epic night out in Chi-town.

MP3: Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Zero (Erol Alkan Remix) or zShare

The Maccabees at Mercury Lounge, 6.22.09

We got very excited way back in February when The Maccabees released track No Kind Words as a free download and prelude to sophomore effort, Wall of Arms. It seemed like we’d been waiting forever to hear new material from our favorite UK art-rockers and even longer to finally see them live. I fell in love with The Maccabees back in London in 2007 when their ballad, Toothpaste Kisses, was ubiquitous on the airwaves, in TV adverts and seemingly the entire nation’s consciousness.

If their debut, Colour It In, was as we called it “a gem that has been harshly overlooked in The States — a deeply affecting, lilting and sentimental musical effusion,” then Wall of Arms, released in May in the UK, is a brilliant explosion of new sounds, textures and styles for The Maccabees.

Miike Snow at The Music Hall of Williamsburg, 6.20.09

The Maccabees recently played Music Hall of Williamsburg and Mercury Lounge in NYC along with Swedish bubblegum pop-rockers, Miike Snow. The Swedish super-producer duo of Christian Karlsson and Pontus Winnberg got the crowds dancing on both occasions with their precise and engaging live set. Although Miike Snow have a bit more of a high profile at the moment, The Maccabees (to their own surprise) brought out many more seemingly loyal fans than expected — resulting in a mostly male, thrashing mosh pit at the Music Hall gig. The South London 5 piece is arrestingly charming live and deliver every song with undeniable energy and fierce sincerity.

I’d go as far as to call the Music Hall gig an epic experience for any fan who had been waiting a long time to see them play live. Being able to catch them at a very intimate venue like Mercury Lounge was special as well considering they drew massive crowds to their set at Glastobury just a few days later. Highlights of both The Maccabees’ humble and heartfelt gigs included Love You Better, Can You Give It, X-Ray and First Love.

Check out coverage of The Maccabees at Glastonbury 2009. The band performed a session on Jo Whiley’s Live Lounge today and covered the Black Eyed Peas Boom Boom Pow, check it out HERE!

Don’t forget to check back later this week for TLC’s exclusive interview with The Maccabees.

MP3: The Maccabees – Dinosaurs or zShare
MP3: Miike Snow – Animal (Crookers Remix) or zShare
MP3: The Maccabees – Love You Better (Russell Lissack Remix) or zShare

Mercury Lounge

Music Hall of Williamsburg

]]> http://www.tlc-blog.com/2009/07/the-maccabees-take-on-nyc-with-miike-snow/feed/ 0 http://www.tlc-blog.com/2009/06/see-miike-snows-us-debut-in-brooklyn/ http://www.tlc-blog.com/2009/06/see-miike-snows-us-debut-in-brooklyn/#comments Thu, 04 Jun 2009 05:20:25 +0000 Jess. D http://tasteslikecaramel.wordpress.com/?p=2008 You know how the only Britney Spears song you admit to liking is Toxic? Well these dudes wrote it and have worked with a number of other (ahem arguably more notable) artists like Kylie Minogue and Mark Ronson. Miike Snow is the alias of Swedish duo, Christian Karlsson and Pontus Winnberg, whose melodic pop infused [...]]]>

You know how the only Britney Spears song you admit to liking is Toxic? Well these dudes wrote it and have worked with a number of other (ahem arguably more notable) artists like Kylie Minogue and Mark Ronson. Miike Snow is the alias of Swedish duo, Christian Karlsson and Pontus Winnberg, whose melodic pop infused self-titled album is set to be released on June 9th.

Christian and Pontus are making their Stateside debut this Saturday night (6/6) at Studio B in Greenpoint and TLC has a pair of tickets to this must-see show to giveaway. Just e-mail info@tasteslikecaramel.com w/ Snow in the subject line and one winner will be chosen at random on Friday afternoon.

The duo will be making a number of other NYC appearances this month including opening for The Maccabees at Music Hall of Williamsburg and headlining Mercury Lounge. Full tour dates HERE.

MP3: Miike Snow – Burial