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Melomane
Club
Helsinki, Great Barrington, Mass., Friday
Though
the name sounds like a mood-altering pharmaceutical or an
exotic hair conditioner, Melomane actually are a New York
City-based pop band—and a perfectly swell one, too. They claim
that “Melomane” is a French word for “lover of melody,” which,
if true, would fit the group’s music like a beret. Led by
French-born, California-raised Pierre de Gaillande, Melomane
make lyrically quirky and musically sweet art-pop, and list
Wings and Leonard Cohen as prime influences. (Digest that
combination.) Sample lyric, from the song “Far Out”: “I’m
so sensitive, it hurts my hair to grow out.” They prefer to
call what they do “chamber pop,” though this seems a bit too
close to “chamber pot” to be a good marketing handle. What
ever you want to tag it, it’s catchy and fun, and should be
a good fit for the comfy confines of Club Helsinki. (Nov.
22, 9 PM, $10, 413-528-6308)
Richard
X. Heyman, Jump Cannon, 5 Alpha Beatdown, Bird Circuit
Valentine’s,
Friday
Richard
X. Heyman is one of those pop pilots who generally flies below
the radar, which is a complete bummer for those who have missed
him lo these last 15 years. The New York City-based Heyman
has a long history of creating elaborate, multitextured, living-room
recordings on which he sings and plays nearly all the instruments—and
the ones he doesn’t play, his wife, Nancy Leigh, does. His
music, which can be linked to the British Invasion, the Byrds
and Elvis Costello, has attained a critical and cult following
over the years. Herman’s Hermit Peter Noone covered Heyman’s
“Hoosier,” off his first release, 1986’s Actual Size EP,
and 1988’s Living Room!! LP apparently was the
first DIY album Rolling Stone reviewed. Heyman’s dip
into the majors in 1991 with Hey Man! resulted in that
familiar tale of lack of label support, but the praise given
his last two releases, Cornerstone (1998) and Basic
Glee (2002), proves that his home-studio efforts are worth
their while. “He’s someone who’s personally obsessed and intimately
connected with the power of rock & roll in our lives,”
says Rolling Stone contributing editor David Wild (and
host of Bravo’s Musicians) on Basic Glee’s liner
notes. Heyman will play Valentine’s tomorrow (Friday) with
Jump Cannon, 5 Alpha Beatdown and Bird Circuit opening. (Nov.
22, 9 PM, $5, 432-6572)
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Pre-Thanksgiving
Rock & Roll Fat Burner
Club
Caroline, Friday-Saturday
Bob
Carlton (ex-Dryer, the Six- fifteens, Desk Jet Booking) will
put on his annual Thanksgiving Holiday Extravaganza (or, as
he likes to call it, the Rock & Roll Fat Burner) at Club
Caroline this year—and this year it’s gonna be a doozy. He’s
managed to get James Kochalka Superstar—that’s the musical
moniker of comic-book auteur James Kochalka (Monkey Vs.
Robot, Pinky & Stinky)—to provide his brand
of Ozzy Osbourne-meets-Daniel Johnston madman/genius rock.
Check out Kochalka’s comics at www.indyworld.com/kochalka.
Boston-based Figgs-Gravel Pit amalgam the Gentlemen (helmed
by Figguitarist Mike Gent), will play their snotty blues-based
rock ditties on Friday; Figgs drummer Pete Hayes brings his
duo, the Land of Nod (with Steve Schiffman), to the club that
night as well. The Sixfifteens round out that night’s bill.
Saturday’s lineup features Boston-based Brett Rosenberg Project
(think Figgs), the popsplosive Day Jobs and the Let Downs,
along with the aforementioned JKS. (Nov. 22-23: Fri, 9
PM, $8; Sat, 9 PM, $5, 580-8868)
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JULIA
BROWN
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Julia
Brown, C Jane Run, J-Page
The
Larkin, Saturday
There
was a bonanza of talent at the Elvis Costello tribute show
last summer, including a few out-of-town notables making local
debuts. Among these were Julia Brown, who made quite an impression
with her haunting solo acoustic version of Costello’s “Deep
Dark Truthful Mirror.” Brown returns to Albany with a show
at the Larkin on Saturday night. Consistently praised for
her pop songcraft and strong vocals—one reviewer described
her album Jubilant Newborn Alien Haze as “spacious
and radiant”—Brown is definitely in the Costello/XTC tradition.
Or, as she told an interviewer, “I love, love, love ’80s Britpop.”
Brown will be joined by a couple of local musicians, bassist
Arya Chowdhury and drummer Ian Rafalak, for the show. Also
on the bill are Albany-based popsters C Jane Run and J-Page.
(Nov. 23, 8 PM, $5, 463-5225)
Sevendust,
30 Seconds to Mars, Cynder
Northern
Lights, Saturday
Despite
a major family tragedy a couple of weeks ago, the show will
go on for Sevendust. Lajon Witherspoon, the 30-year-old frontman
for the group, lost his brother Reginald to a fatal shooting
Nov. 9. Lajon’s father told him the awful news just a few
minutes before a Sevendust show, and he asked Lajon to stay
where he was and perform and to dedicate the performance to
Reginald. Sevendust, currently on tour in support of their
latest album, Animosity, hit the music scene with their
self-titled debut release in 1997. The Atlanta-based group
have since become well-known for their hard riffs and angry
lyrics. Lajon has been described as a “metal singer that can
actually sing.” The rest of the band is made up of Vinnie
Hornsby on bass, Morgan Rose on drums, and John Connolly and
Clint Lowery on guitars. Sevendust will hit the stage at Northern
Lights Saturday, where they’ll be joined by Cynder and 30
Seconds to Mars. (Nov. 23, 7:30 PM, $22, $20 advance tickets,
371-0012)
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noted |
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SAVES
THE DAY
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You
may have to resort to the age-old quarter toss tomorrow
(Friday) night, there’s so much darn stuff happening.
Along with what’s listed above, and featured on
Night & Day (Sonic Youth), you’ve got
the Kamikaze Hearts, gay tastee and Small
Axe’s DJ Miller performing at Changing Spaces
(8:30 PM, 433-1537). . . . Also Friday, Mabel
(Frank Moscowitz and Martha Kronholm)
and knotworking will be at the Larkin (8
PM, $5, 463-5225). . . . Saxman Brian Patneaude
brings his quartet—guitarist George Muscatello,
bassist Ryan Lukas and drummer Danny
Whelchel—to Saratoga’s One Caroline Street Friday.
Expect original material from each band member,
as they’ve been honing their skills at Justin’s
every Sunday for a several months (8 PM, free, 587-2026).
. . . For jazz in Albany, the Keith Pray Electric
Band, which includes guitarist Chuck D’Aloia,
bassist Ed Torge and drummer Bob Halek,
will play at the Van Dyck Friday (7 and 9:30
PM, $8, 381-1111). . . . And finally Friday, jamsters
Motet, featuring Hope Clayburn of
Deep Banana Blackout, will play Skidmore College
(9 PM, 580-5775). . . . On Saturday, Richie Havens
will perform at the Mahaiwe Theatre in Great
Barrington, Mass.; Jess Klein opens (8 PM,
$37, $35 advance, 413-528-3394). . . . Rob Beaulieu
& Raisinhead, with Todd Nelson and
Chuck D’Aloia, will celebrate the release
of their new CD upstairs at Valentine’s, with Arc
opening; on the downstairs stage, Denim &
Diamonds, a theatrical electro-pop band with
video accompaniment, composed of Jason Martin,
Tyler Jacobsen and Chris Skinner, the
Stars of Rock and Boston-based Mishima
USA, will provide the entertainment. (up: 9
PM, $8; down: 9 PM, $5; 432-6572). . . . The Bayou
Café in Albany celebrates its expansion with a zydeco
party, and L.A.-based Lisa Haley & the Zydecats
have made the trek to partake; our own Captain
Squeeze and the Zydeco Moshers will open (8
PM, $10—includes hors d’oeuvres, 426-8550). . .
. On Sunday, Fred Gillen Jr. makes a return
visit to the Larkin (7:30 PM, 463-5225). . . . An
industrial-sized Whitman’s sampler of punk touches
down in Albany on Sunday, when the Virus,
the Epidemic, the Victimized, Armedalite
Rifles, Mary’s Ugly Children and Misfits
tribute band Wolfsblood play downstairs at
Valentine’s (6 PM, $10, 432-6572). . . .
Saves the Day, Ash, Kinda Like Spitting and
Circle and Square will play Saratoga Winners
on Tuesday (8 PM, $17, $15 advance, 783-1010). .
. . The Wait, Paranoid Social Club and the
Suggestions will play a pre-Thanksgiving
show at Valentine’s on Wednesday (9 PM, $8, 432-6572). |
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Columns
& Opinions
