Despite lame weather Saturday night (did the gods not understand it was CMJ week?), we decided to go out strong, and rounded out this festival blitzkrieg with multiple showcases. (Full disclosure: We had to walk only four blocks to achieve this goal.) Beginning at the After the Jump party at Williamsburg’s overwhelming mind-fuck of a venue, Brooklyn Bowl, we thought it wise to catch two fast-on-the-rise local acts: Bear in Heaven and Small Black. Survey says? Both will soon be doing very well for themselves.
More hotness after the jump: Bear in Heaven, Small Black, garage popsters the Smith Westerns, Woodsist band Real Estate, and Dungen side project the Amazing.
Bear in Heaven managed to successfully fuse heavy kraut beats, phased-out vocal effects and a pulsing, paranoid groove. Their sound became so huge at one point, we noticed scattered bowlers holding their games to stroll over and see what all the ruckus was about. Well, all that ruckus was the sound of a band that’s poised to graduate from the bowling alley stage mighty quick, so be hip and don’t sleep on this one. Next up were young’uns Small Black.Imagine any of the acts in the recent white-hot “chill-wave” sound (Neon Indian, Washed Out, Toro Y Moi, etc.), though performed full-band style—and done convincingly well. If you know what’s good for you, be at Death by Audio tonight for their post-CMJ party with fellow buzzkids Surfer Blood.
Moseying on over to Music Hall of Williamsburg, for the Mexican Summer/Kemado party, we strutted in just in time to hear someone say into a mike, “Hey, we’re the Smith Westerns. We’re from Shit-cago.” Classy! Honestly, we’re pretty sure this band’s median age is exactly nine years old. But guess what? We loved ‘em! They play sugary-sweet, fuzzed-out garage pop that’s so solid, it sounds like their mamas must’ve pumped Velvet Underground into their cribs. Exactly nine years ago. Let’s hope The Smith Westerns can handle the impending fame and not have a VH1 Behind the Music chronicling their demise at 24 years old.
If you were to ask anyone cruising the CMJ circuit this year who the artists to see were, it’s a guarantee eight out of ten would’ve said, “Real Estate.” On local label Woodsist and burnin’ up the blog world, Real Estate played intricate, mellowed-out rock reminiscent of our favorite Yo La Tengo moments. It’s a sound that wouldn’t be out of place in the ’94 college radio scene, but somehow so refreshingly sincere, we stood rapt. It’s no wonder their double bill with Girls at Bowery Ballroom on November 6 is already sold out. Consider this your heads-up: You already love this band. You just don’t know it yet.
Wrapping up the night (and in turn, CMJ as a whole for us) was Dungen folk-rock side project The Amazing. We were unsure of what to expect, but as it so happens, blissed-out Nick Drake revivalism was a near-perfect way to wind down a soul-grinding week. Now if you’ll excuse us, we have a year-long cryogenic hibernation to attend to. Nice work, CMJ. We already miss you.—Ben Zoltowski
