CMJ Music Marathon
Day 3
October 18, 2007
New York, NY
Words: Cameron Cook
Photos: Abbey Braden

Can we just say how happy we are that Imperial Teen are back together? We thought Hey Willpower was OK, but the Teen's new record, The Hair The TV The Baby and The Band, is such a jubilant slice of indie-pop we can barely contain our excitement. Their set at the Fader Lounge contained oldie "Lipstick", and while we're sure no one picked up on the cheeky gay innuendo due to serious alcohol intoxication, we were so happy we almost spilled our SoCo punch (yes, that again) all over our powder-blue cardigan (not joking).

BTW these photos are from their Arlene's Grocery show the day before.

We stayed around for our favorite pop metal/new grunge/hairy band, Biffy Clyro, which turned out to be the best decision ever. We've always been huge fans of the Biff (ever since their "indier" days back in the late-'90s, before Simon Neil transformed into a sexier version of Dave Grohl), but new record Puzzles is so good we've actually busted out the black T-shirts from high-school lunch periods past and begun to headbang and mope around our bedrooms. The pinnacle of their set was, of course, the behemoth that is "Get Fucked Stud", a song we would easily demonstrate our devotion to by gargling rusty nails. They blew through their six-song set with voracious speed, and we're sure some of the hipster set were totally converted to Biffymania.

VIDEO: Biffy Clryo - "Glitter and Trauma"

You may remember Chicago electro kids Walter Meego from us creaming all over ourselves when the band opened for VHS or Beta a few months ago. While they experienced a few sound difficulties at their Webster Hall show opening for UNKLE, they were still head and shoulders above every single dance act we saw during the entire festival. 'Sup photog extraordinaire Abbey Braden has declared "Girls" her favorite song in the entire history of the universe (or something close to that) and we're completely smitten with "Lost" and the cosmic headfuckery of "Through a Keyhole". Somehow, Walter Meego have managed to dig an even deeper hole in our hearts.

We were able to catch a few minutes of Datarock over at the Blender Theater (God, that name still makes us laugh...), and while the band's lovable dance rock was totally enjoyable, we just couldn't get over the icon that is Lasy Miss Keir, who was standing about 5 feet away from us the entire show. Datarock dedicated songs to her, she batted her eyelashes, and our favorite CMJ celebrity sighting was born. Oh, AND Datarock covered "The Time of Our Lives" from Dirty Dancing as an encore. Amazing.

VIDEO: Datarock - "I Used To Dance With My Daddy"

If we love Walter Meego, than we must fucking ADORE Simian Mobile Disco, a band we have seen countless times and who STILL manage to impress and surprise. Most DJ-artist content themselves to churning over the same beats over and over to mildly inspired visuals. SMD, on the other hand, create a completely new experience each time, completely letting go and experimenting with… whatever goes on in that gigantic console they cart around. You know the drill: “It’s The Beat”, “Hustler”, “I Got This Down”, “I Believe”… each song a total classic-in-the-making. Dance music has found its saviors.

VIDEO: The Go! Team - "Ladyflash (Simian Mobile Disco remix)"

We’ve been waiting to see Muscles for ages, ever since Guns Babes Lemonade, his criminally brilliant debut record, made its way into our mailbox (and our hearts). We finally fulfilled that dream at the modular showcase at Studio B. To give you the skinny: Muscles is a one-man party band from Melbourne, Australia, who’s only reason to live appears to be making amazing little 4-minute raves and shoving them down people’s throats with almost maniacal glee. Armed with only two keyboards, and mic and a backing track, Muscles lit Studio B on fire with a mini-set of soon-to-be international hits (we are very rarely wrong about this sort of thing). “The Lake” is basically the sound of ecstasy coursing through your neurons, and “Sweaty” is so honest it’s kind of hot (“My hand slipped into your hand/And it was awesome/And you were special”). This dude is about to become a fucking superstar, so jump on the bandwagon while there’s still room.

VIDEO: Muscles - "Ice Cream"

Then… New Young Pony Club. Those that have been raving about the Pony Club for a while might remember when they were supposed to play a shitload of shows last December and, stricken with illness, front woman Tahita Bulmer had to pull all but one date a that weird venue that used to be in some building’s basement, the White Room (seriously, we don’t know how else to describe it). Their debut record Fantastic Playroom hadn’t dropped yet, and we were frankly only familiar with the ubiquitous “Ice Cream”. But since then, the album has been released, and we are certain in saying that it’s one of the best of the year. Of course “Ice cream” was there, but “Hiding on the Staircase” blew us away as well as a rather bouncy version of “Grey”. But nothing, dear God NOTHING, prepared us for the apex of the performance: A COVER VERSION OF “PUMP UP THE JAM” BY TECHNOTRONIC. For real. It was worth the swollen feet, being in Brooklyn during a festival, and the serious malnutrition we endured that night just for those blissful three minutes. NYPC are an excellent band that are like the best parts of Madonna, 20 Fingers and Garbage (you know it’s true) malted into one candy-coated sonic jawbreaker. May they build upon their glossy empire for many moons to come.

VIDEO: New Young Pony Club - "Pump Up The Jam (Technotronic cover)"

VIDEO: New Young Pony Club - "Ice Cream"