Update deux from CMJ: High Life, Duck Tales, War Paint!

Last night on the outskirts of CMJ land I met an excccelllent all ages venue called Monster Island. What started as a quick stop just to see Best Coast turned into an all-night adventure involving whisky runs, water-front park benches, and, jesus– was it SEVEN bands at this one venue? There was also a pumpkin carving party upstairs. I got some candy.

Music to fall in love with after the jump!

High Life bathed in a heavenly glow

Band to look out for should they (slash he) ever come into your town? HIGH LIFE. Amazing. It’s a project of White Magic guitarist Sleepy Doug Shaw and it sounds like freak pop surf rock perfection. Go to that myspace now and get crazy in love. High Life nearly literally (which is not at all) blew me out of the water last night. The music is strange enough, psychedelic enough to get your mind stretching far and wide while your feet stay here and stomp out the dance party.

Duck Tailsssss

And the reason it was completely impossible to get off Monster Island at an early hour — Duck Tails played. Again an almost one-man effort of surf glitch psychedelia that’s friendly (speaking of– go listen to “Friends” on that myspace) dreamy and wonderful. Needless to say, I didn’t want to go home at the end of this show.

Did anything else destroy me? You bet.

Bethany of Best Coast played seriously wonderful lo-fi pop tunes at Monster Island and across town at the Terrorbird party (hosted by the Cake Shop) we saw War Paint and Darlings, both wonderful.

Best Coast

War Paint is an all-girl threesome who turn out captivating psychedelic rock with their unbelievable good voices and their hypnotic guitars. Wonderful!

Also at the Cake Shop was Darlings whose garage pop is killlerrr. You’ve probably heard them on various indie shows at KZSC (oh because they’re wonderful whaaat) and they were equally wonderful live.

Keep checking here for more CMJ updates! Tonight: UUVVWWZ!

Published October 22nd, 2009 in Live Performances

About the author

Music Director - Our music director takes more dance classes than academic classes, collects noisemakers, sups on soup in the wintertime, and still finds time to read Susan Stryker's "Transgender History" to KZSC's pet seahorse.