Anyone who’s rifled through a box of postcards at a vintage store, or found an issue of Life from the 1950s, will tell you that there’s a humor from that era that’s found rarely today. You only have to look at the shouty quotes on movie posters now (“I laughed my face off!”) or read a snipey message board to gauge the difference in what’s generally considered funny.

So for those seeking simpler, sweeter pleasures, the New York Guitar Fest’s “Silent Films/Live Guitars” series promised a lot; particularly given that its most starry composer is Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon, who’s been keeping a very low profile since the crazy success of For Emma, Forever Ago in 2008.

Click past the jump for more.

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Hey, did we mention how much we love the new A.A. Bondy album, When The Devil’s Loose? Well, we’re joining the likes of Bon Iver and Conor Oberst in becoming a fan of the Alabama songwriter. If you’re into cloudy old rock & roll records, bluesy songs, and black-and-white movies, then we’ll wager Bondy’s your man (check our preview here). He plays Bowery Ballroom next Wednesday (Dec 9), and we have a pair of tickets to the show to give away, as well as five copies of his album. Just answer our easy-peasy question here, and you’re in with a chance. G’luck!

We’re proud to say that we were relatively early to jump on the bandwagon of Asher Roth, who headlines the Great Hangover Tour at Nokia Theatre Times Square tonight. After extending the impish Pennsylvania MC a shout-out during his mixtape days, we featured him on the eve of his breakthrough release, Asleep in the Bread Aisle. Additionally, we shot some live video at Roth’s last area appearance in April. Check out that footage below and get psyched for this evening’s festivities, at which Roth will be joined by fellow It rapper Kid Cudi.

If you’re not in the hip-hop mood, check out another deafeningly hyped young artist: Nathan “Wavves” Williams—playing at Bowery Ballroom tonight—who has recently seen his life turned into a perverse sort of reality show by the music blogosphere. Drama aside, Williams’s fuzzed-out, hook-filled punk tunes are among the catchiest on the current indie landscape. Opening is psych-folk-ish Volume fave Woods. (Check out our recent Woods Q&A here.)

And if you’re at all attuned to the jazz world, you’ve no doubt read tons of breathless press concerning Darcy James Argue’s Secret Society, hitting (Le) Poisson Rouge tonight. Check out TONY’s take on the self-proclaimed steampunk big band here.

Elsewhere in the city, it’s all about the free, outdoor shows, and there’s something for every taste. Left-field guitar virtuoso Kaki King hits Stuyvesant Town Oval, eccentric jazz nostalgist Don Byron salutes Motown sax powerhouse Junior Walker at Madison Square Park, freestyle mainstays George Lamond and Judy Torres stop by the Bronx’s Crotona Park, and Count Basie associate Frank Foster helms his eponymous big band up at Grant’s Tomb.

At the clubs tonight, women rule. The raging female-fronted metal unit Jucifer takes no prisoners at Cake Shop. Nashville songsmith Sarah Siskind (who recently taped an exclusive outdoor a cappella performance for the Volume) brings her Bon Iver–approved tunes to Joe’s Pub. And thoughtful pop storyteller Aimee Mann takes the stage at City Winery.

It’s also a strong night for Latin-music fans, as Jamaican reggae crooner Beres Hammond performs at BAM Howard Gilman Opera House, and the charismatic Sergent Garcia makes his U.S. debut at S.O.B.’s. Last but not even remotely least, the Jonas Brothers—a little up-and-coming band you may have read about in the pages of TONY—faces the adoring throngs at Izod Center.

For our latest field recording, we wanted to shine a spotlight on the talents of Sarah Siskind, who plays Joe’s Pub tomorrow (Wednesday, July 15). The Nashville singer-songwriter shot to attention last year after being praised enthusiastically by Justin Vernon (Mr. Bon Iver). In fact, Vernon said that Siskind’s music had changed his life—and he covered her beautiful song, “Lovin’s for Fools,” to prove it. Sure enough, Siskind is a really great songwriter, combining directness with exquisite nuance; but it’s her voice that really gets you. Siskind sang a cappella for TONY in Tompkins Square Park, in the rain, with a chorus of barking dogs. The song is “Go,” and though it sounds like a traditional blues song, she wrote it herself—you can hear it on her new album, Say It Louder. Let us know if you get goose bumps at the end too.

There something almost miraculous about witnessing a really, really weird band step into the limelight. Not only did Dirty Projectors hold their own at last night’s starry Dark Was the Night AIDS benefit at Radio City, they completely stole the show—in the opening slot no less. The Projectors’ newly expanded lineup (seen above in a photo by Scott Dunay) hit the stage as people were still filing in and offered a killer four-song set of avant-garde rock that established a party vibe while at the same time flaunting the band’s bold peculiarity. As he does on the Dark Was disc, David Byrne sat in, though he wasn’t the most high-wattage personality onstage, and neither was Projectors leader Dave Longstreth. Guitarist-singer Amber Coffman (second from right) completely owned the set, shredding gnarled post-Afropop guitar lines that would make Marnie Stern blush and belting incredibly forceful and exuberant vocals that often recalled Björk, who’s slated to collaborate with the band at Housing Works on Friday. The rhythm team of bassist Nat Baldwin and drummer Brian McOmber also impressed, offering weighty grooves that frayed pleasingly at the edges. (Mark my words, this is the year of Dirty Projectors; stay tuned to TONY and the Volume for news on the band’s forthcoming Bitte Orca disc and click here for a clip of band member Angel Deradoorian performing live in our offices last week.) Read on for more on last night’s concert.

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It’s top-ten list season in the arts world, and music writers/critics are usually particularly vocal about their opinions at the end of the year, myself included. One particular choice that has me all hot and bothered (besides Coldplay and Kings of Leon—are you people serious?) is Bon Iver’s For Emma, Forever Ago.

It’s not that I don’t like the record; I love it. The problem is, it was released in 2007. Justin Vernon—the sole member of the group until earlier this year (kind of a Bright Eyes–type confusion here)—recorded the album in a Wisconsin cabin and then self-released it. In February of this year, Jagjaguwar released it. This, my friends, is a rerelease. I didn’t get into the Yeasayer album until this year, but that doesn’t mean it’s going on my list for 2008—it was released at the end of 2007. You snooze, you lose.

If I were going to include rereleases, my top-ten list would look a little something like this:

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