Love This Giant

Well, this is fun, and a pleasant reminder of one of the best concerts of 2012.

New Twin Sister Song

Twin Sister, the pride of Patchogue, Long Island (a little town I once lived in), debuted a new song the other night at Glasslands in New York for a Hurricane Sandy relief effort.  The song's a jazzy little jam with some cool tape loops thrown in the mix, and the chameleon-like Andrea Estella is almost unrecognizable in her I-don't-know-what get up.

Part of the fun of watching Twin Sister is seeing what look Andrea will bring to the stage on that particular night.  Here she is at The Earl in August 2010 as a dressed-in-black femme fatale:

Here she is at the 529 in June 2011 looking like a Mormon Stevie Nicks:

Back at The Earl in January 2012, she had a decidedly preppy look:

There's no telling what she's going to pull off next.

Superhumanoids Breakers Remix

Lonesome Leash

Walt McClements with Dark Dark Dark at 529, Oct. 17, 2012

Walt McClements of the band Dark Dark Dark now has his solo thing going called Lonesome Leash, and he's bringing it to Atlanta on January 10 at a venue to be named later.  We last saw McClements and Dark Dark Dark at the 529 back during Rocktober, with Christ, Lord and Emily Wells opening.  Based on the sound of his new material - listen to Ghosts, below - it would be fitting for Christ, Lord to open for him again, as they sound as it they're both cut from the same gypsy soul.

I'm not so sure that the face tattoo is such a good idea, though (rarely is).

In any event, January 10 may be the first concert night of the new year, and the first break in the great Winter Doldrums since Of Monsters and Men back on November 29 (which itself was the only break since Lost In the Trees back on November 3).  

A few more shots of McClements from back in October and another Lonesome Leash song:

Ramona Falls

Okay, so it's not the end of the Winter Doldrums, but it's something at least.  Portland's Ramona Falls, the project of ex-Menomena member Brent Knopf, will be coming February 15 to the godforsaken Masquerade, playing the miniscule room, Purgatory.  The room may be small, but at least you don't have the bands playing upstairs in Heaven thundering over your heads.

So the path out of the Winter Doldrums looks like this, if I can make it another month:  

1/17 - Purity Ring (Variety Playhouse)

1/19 - Helio Sequence (Terminal West)

2/2 - The xx (The Tabernacle)

2/9 - Jonathan Richman (The Goat Farm)

2/15 - Ramona Falls (The Masquerade)

2/17 - Cancun, Mexico (olé!)

2/13 - Unknown Mortal Orchestra (529)

And then March Madness, when, absurdly, there's a show almost every night of the month.

The Winter Doldrums

The winter doldrums are starting to get to me - I haven't been to a live music show in almost three weeks, not since Of Monsters and Men back in late November.  And there's not much relief on the horizon until Portland's Helio Sequence graces us with their presence in mid-January (thanks and a tip of the hat to my friend Brian for pointing that gig out to me).

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Prince Rama

Prince Rama at Farm 255, Athens, December 4, 2011

Well, here's something completely different - a mixtape prepared by Taraka Larson of the band Prince Rama featuring waaaay slowed down songs by Black Sabbath, The Bee Gees, Haddaway, and Oasis, among others.  It sounds like the kind of things traveling musician/sisters would come up with in the back of a van while on tour, which for all I know may be exactly what it is.

We saw Prince Rama, the duo of Ms. Larson and her sister Niami, perform at Farm 255 in Athens last year on a seasonably cool December evening.  Pics from that memorable show, below, for your contemplation and viewing pleasure as you listen to their mixtape.