CMJ 2012 Issue! - The Deli

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10/16 rootsy @ the Delancey (downstair
The Deli’s CMJ Shows ’12
7:15pm
Backwords
L
Backwords
o-fi psychedelic band Backwords
captures the spirit of the ’60s
through each of their four fulllength
albums. The group is mildly
obsessed with the hippie era, reflecting
on the Occupy Wall Street movement as
a nod to the love-and-peace generation
and infusing that amity into their music.
The Broolkyn-based outfit’s sound flows
seamlessly between surf and psychedelic
rock with wailing guitars and easy
pop rhythms, often in the same song.
They’ve received favorable comparisons
to the Beach Boys and Pink Floyd,
which is a fitting not only in referencing
their genre, but also in considering
their retro visual and sonic aesthetic.
However, Backwords doesn’t just imitate
the bands’ record collection though.
The group manages to evolve with each
album, transforming into some well-polished
hippies throughout their five-year
history. (Devon Antonetti)
Production Corner
By Paolo De Gregorio
Recording The Banjo
The banjo - this bizarre mutation of a guitar and
a snare drum - can be a difficult instrument to
record. The main challenge is to find a balance
between the very attacky but thumpy sound
audible near the center of the head, and the rest
of the instrument’s sonic components, which
- because of its complex harmonic structure -
range from mid lows fundamentals to the top
end side of the frequency spectrum. Condenser
or dynamic microphones are commonly used for
close miking the banjo, but this is an instrument
that can shine when at least one mic (normally a
large condenser one) is placed a little further from
the source - which is obviously something you
can’t do only if you are recording it separately
from the other instruments.
Try placing the close mic 6-12” away, aiming at
8:00pm
The Reverend
John DeLore
F
or several of the tracks off his
new album, Sweet Talk for Pretty
Daughters, the Reverend John
DeLore recorded his vocals in the room
where folk legend Gram Parsons died
in 1973. Clearly, the ghost of Parsons
was trapped in that space for almost
40 years waiting for someone to set
him free and refill the world with his
music. That’s one explanation as to
how DeLore creates such lovely folk
gems. A more likely explanation, however,
is the Reverend is an extremely
talented singer-songwriter who incorporates
his notable influences along
with his refreshing take on folk music.
Either way, surely Parsons would be
very proud, and DeLore should be too.
(Joshua Johnson)
the center of the head; if the
attack is too pronounced,
try moving the mic slightly
towards the outer edge,
towards the bridge and
south of the strings, and/
or experimenting with the
mic’s angle.
Different playing styles call
for different techniques - if
the player is using a pick or
his nails, you may not want
to go for the “full center”
position, which may instead
work better with a more
gentle style.
Also, always bear in mind
that dynamic mics are less
sensitive to attack than
condensers, and that, as
always, the best recordings
are tailored to the song
context they fit in.
8:50pm
Town Hall
he college kids of Town Hall
have a knack for combining a
Tpure sense of wonder with their
increasing presence in the adult world.
This dueling blend of the childlike hope
and adulthood reality is clear on the
band’s debut full-length record, Roots
and Bells. However, when you can create
gorgeous indie folk melodies like they
can, the mixture of emotions must be a
lot easier to manage. (Joshua Johnson)
11:20pm
Laura Stevenson
& The Cans
See feature on p.40.
12:10am
Everest Cale
S
Everest Cale
outh Carolina and Midwest natives
Everest Cale have a dream-like,
lulling quality - thanks to lead singer
Brett Treacy’s passionate crooning
throughout the group’s debut EP Beast.
With rich guitars and poised refinement,
the Brooklyn-based band manages to
find new life in a formulaic genre. Beast
was released in early September, with
the five-song album’s smoldering lyrical
and sonic intensity. Everest Cale’s bluesy
sound doesn’t come as a surprise, given
Treacy’s roots in the South, where he
met his bandmates through a “singer
wanted” poster. Though the band only
has a few songs behind them, the EP is
a promising beginning for the “grassroots”
rockers. (Devon Antonetti)