Bridges & Powerlines Join CMJ for Showcase at Pete's Candy Store

It’s become an annual tradition. CMJ and Bridges and Powerlines. This year, Bridges and Powerlines will play an Official CMJ Showcase at Pete’s Candy Store on October 22nd as part of CMJ’s Music Marathon and Film Festival which takes over New York from October 19th through October 23rd. This year’s festival features hundreds of musical acts including: Phoenix, Surfer Blood, Two Door Cinema Club, School of Seven Bells, Justin Townes Earle, Black Label Society, Four Tet, The Drums, and many more.

This stop at CMJ is part of Bridges and Powerlines fall tour with dates in New York, Philadelphia, and North Carolina. The tour will preface the release of their second full-length album, Eve, which comes out January 18, 2011. The album examines life before September 11, 2001, a significant date to most Americans, but especially for the members of Bridges and Powerlines. Andrew Wood (keys/vocals), David Boyd (guitar/vocals), Keith Sigel (bass/vocals), and Mason Ingram, of Connecticut, Kentucky, North Carolina and Texas respectively, they were all drawn to the city out of the nostalgic goodwill that developed as the nation recovered. The city they soon called home was beginning a indie pop boom, and the four of them, with their shared love of intricately arranged three-minute pop songs became a part of it.

Bridges and Powerlines has received much praise from the likes of Pitchfork, “now that's power,” Paste, and The Washington Post and their first album Ghost Types, which was produced by Chris Zane (Les Savy Fav, White Rabbits, Asobi Seksu), enjoyed a seven-week run in the CMJ Top 200. Gothamist said they are “worth standing in a crowded club to see,” which audiences all over the east coast may just have to do.

Celebrating its 30th year, CMJ Music Marathon & Film Festival is headquartered this year at New York University’s Greenwich Village campus and dozens of downtown Manhattan and Brooklyn venues. CMJ, New York City’s largest music festival, brings together more than 120,000 music fans, music business professionals, college radio tastemakers, press, artists, filmmakers, and industry icons. Artists from more than 30 international territories are expected to partake in CMJ Music Marathon 2010, from Australia to Japan and everywhere in between.

CMJ Official Showcase
Bridges & Powerlines
October 22nd
Pete’s Candy Store
709 Lorimer Street, Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Show Time: 11:00 PM
21+


Bridges & Powerlines Tour Dates

10/5 Spike Hill, New York, NY
10/22 CMJ Pete’s Candy Store, Brooklyn, NY
10/22 The Beast of The Northeast, Arlene’s Grocery, New York, NY
11/03 -Kung Fu Necktie, Philadelphia, PA
11/05 Cakeshop - New York, NY
11/12 Ronnie’s Bar, Chicago, IL
11/13 Cicero’s, St. Louis, MO
11/16 Al’s Bar, Lexington, KY
11/17 Caledonia Lounge, Athens, GA
11/18 The 529, Atlanta, GA
11/19 Evening Muse, Charlotte, NC
11/20 The Cave, Chapel Hill, NC
11/21 The Pourhouse, Raleigh, NC
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Music Monday - Medleyville.us Talks Spoon, The Gaslight Anthem, Arcade Fire and More

With the endless amount of music websites and blogs popping up, it’s hard to keep on top of them all. Medleyville.us might not currently be on your radar, but we hope to change that. Chris M. Junior, founder and editor of Medleyville, is not just a blogger, critic and editor; he is a massive music fan. Yes, we all are, but after talking with Chris, it was nice to hear that while he’s up to date on indie and underground bands, he’s also got a firm familiarity in music from past eras. He can use those music roots to connect artists he loves like Tom Petty, Sam Cooke and Carole King to My Morning Jacket and Neko Case, etc. He gets extra points for pulling out Buck Owens and Sam Phillips. Chris not only has a lot to say about the state of music criticism, he has a lot to say in general. We dig that; we’re talkers.

Music Monday Q&A with Medleyville

1. How long has Medleyville been operating?
Medleyville.us was launched March 1, 2004. I came up with the idea for the site a few months prior and had a friend handle the technical side of things. I decided to launch my own site in order to keep myself busy between full-time journalism gigs. I also thought it would be a productive way to keep my name out there as I tried to hustle up some paying freelance writing opportunities.

From the start, I’ve had a handful of music-savvy friends with writing backgrounds contribute to the site as well. I never wanted Medleyville to be a one-man show, and it’s safe to say the site wouldn’t exist without their input.



2. What makes Medleyville different from other websites?
…It focuses on both emerging and established artists from various genres and eras. It’s more like an online version of a general-interest music magazine, hence the motto “music coverage for eclectic tastes.”

Another thing that’s a little different about my site is I prefer to run interviews and features. These days, anybody can write a CD review and post it online, but not everyone can conduct a good interview with an artist or write an interesting narrative feature.

Something else that’s a little unconventional about the site is the way we do CD reviews. There are three formats: a traditional review that’s a few hundred words, a collection of one-paragraph reviews known as Quick Spins and a multi-author, conversational-style review of a single release called Disc Discussion. No matter what, we try to be fair in our criticism and commentary and not resort to pontificating or taking cheap shots.

3. Do you think Medleyville has a specific musical niche?
Not really, and I think that’s what makes the site different from most others. Rock tends to dominate Medleyville, but I don’t discriminate against any style. My personal musical collection runs the gamut, and I see nothing wrong with a website covering a wide musical range. I know the tendency these days is to serve a niche audience, but writing about one musical style all the time would bore the crap out of me.

4. What contemporary albums are you looking forward to coming out?
A lot of the albums I was looking forward to this year have already been released. They include the new ones by Spoon, Vampire Weekend, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, The Gaslight Anthem and Justin Currie. As for what’s on the horizon, I’m looking forward to Tin Can Trust, the new Los Lobos. I’ve been a fan of the band for more than 25 years. I recently heard a cool new song by The Arcade Fire that now has me interested in the rest of The Suburbs.

5. How does Medleyville support independent music and what is important about doing so?
The term “independent music” means different things to different people. To me, it has nothing to do with a specific sound. Indie music means any act – new or veteran, regardless of genre – that’s not with one of the remaining major record labels/music corporations and has a strong DIY ethic. That said Medleyville.us does support indie music. But one important qualifier for all artists looking for coverage on my site – and exceptions are very rare -- is that they must be touring acts. Anybody can sit at home, record a song, post it on MySpace or wherever and claim to be a musician or an artist, thinking an online presence is a way around playing gigs. I hear from people like that from time to time.

6. Do you think online publications are taking precedence over print magazine? What kind of effect do you think that has on bands?
Yes, I think there are a few online publications that are very much on par with print magazines. Pitchfork, for one, is probably as important today as Rolling Stone or Spin in terms of having its finger on the pulse of what’s new, good, different and important. There’s no doubt that the impact of online publications on bands has been tremendous. On the positive side, bands have plenty of outlets they can pitch for coverage.

7. What blogs/publications do you read other than your own?
I read the online and print versions of Billboard, Rolling Stone, Spin and Time Out New York on a regular basis. I’ll pick up Paste, Magnet and Alternative Press now and then.

As for blogs, I check out Pitchfork, BrooklynVegan and Time Out New York’s The Volume. Also, I often listen to the online streams of radio stations from around the country, such as Austin’s KGSR, San Francisco’s KFOG and Philadelphia’s WXPN, and their respective sites have good, useful news and information. I also read Jim DeRogatis’ Pop N’ Stuff blog. Jim is one of the best music writers today, and he also is a co-host of the radio show “Sound Opinions” with fellow Chicago music journalist Greg Kot.

8. What has been your most definitive moment since you started Medleyville?
There have been a few. Recently, John Mellencamp’s website posted my short review of his box set On the Rural Route 7609 on his news page. For a little site like mine to get a mention on a major artist’s site, that was a surprise and a thrill. Generally speaking, the past year or so has been important and satisfying for Medleyville. In that time, I’ve had more artists, publicists and labels contact me about being featured on the site. That tells me we must be doing something right. We’ve come a long way…

9. If there is any musician/band you could interview (dead or alive) who would it be?
Of artists who are still alive, I’d have to say Keith Richards, Paul Westerberg, Tom Petty, Elton John and Elvis Costello. I’ve never read an interview where any one of them just phoned it in. After those guys, the list would include Carole King, Steve Cropper, Neko Case, My Morning Jacket’s Jim James, Allen Toussaint, Steve Earle, Todd Rundgren, Stevie Wonder and George Jones.

As for deceased artists, at the top would be Buddy Holly, followed by Sam Cooke, Rick Nelson, Marvin Gaye, Buck Owens and producer Sam Phillips.

10. If you could be in any band (of all time), who would you rock with?
I’d say Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Booker T. and the MG’s and The Byrds. Those three epitomize what I value most in bands: great chops, instincts, restraint and taste – and, of course, great songs. And in the end, it always comes down to great songs.

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Staff Infection: NPR Style

A few things occurred to me as I put together my staff infection this week. First off, I was most definitely in an NPR mood over the past week, with soulful songwriters ringing in a resounding theme. Coincidentally all four of the groups I chose are what I am officially coining "and bands". Those bands which are joined by an "and" to make their sound complete. Three that made my list were Ray LaMontagne and the Pariah Dogs, Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings, and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. Anyone who knows me, knows how much I love Ray LaMontagne so inspiration hit me right over the head when Paste Magazine posted the upcoming single off his album due out in August. And although Gwyneth & Monko are more country Americana than southern soul,  had to add them quite simply because they fulfill my theme of and bands and are most definitely an NPR band. 

Ray LaMontagne and the Pariah Dogs, "Beg Steal and Borrow" from God Willin' and the Creek Don't Rise  (Courtesy of Paste Magazine) Release Date 8/17/10

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, "First Flash of Freedom" from the album Mojo available now.(Courtesy of Tom Petty.com)

Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings, "I Found Out the Hard Way" from the album, I Found Out the Hard Way Available Now (Courtesy of KEXP)

Gwyneth & Monko, "Lexington Ballad" from the album Good Old Horse  (Courtesy of Green Light Go Publicity) Release Date 7/20/10

Every week a different Green Light Go staff member will write about what bands have infected their ears for the week and give you an opportunity to hear it for yourself.

This week: Janelle Rogers, Green Light Go Owner/Music Publicist Extraordinaire Click Here to Read More..