Part of the proceeds from this show will benefit victims of Hurricane Sandy
My Jerusalem
Dead Heart Bloom
Mon, November 12, 2012
Doors: 9:30 pm
Mercury Lounge
New York, NY
$10
Tickets
This event is 21 and over
http://www.mercuryloungenyc.com/event/173181/
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My Jerusalem - (Set time: 10:30 PM)
"Nobody ever paid money to see Harry Houdini escape being buried alive" says My Jerusalem founder and singer Jeff Klein. "They wanted the small chance of seeing him
killed by the weight of the earth on top of him."
Behold the concept behind Preachers, the second full-length release from Austin's My Jerusalem. From the opening piano of the haunting title track, to the unexpected pummeling guitar and drums on closer "I Left My Conscience In You", Preachers leads
the listener on a cinematic journey through a reckless, jagged landscape of Raymond Carver-esque stories, fueled by Klein's persuasive baritone, ominous guitars, dream-like keyboards and a deep rhythmic pulse.
Recorded in under three weeks by Spoon drummer Jim Eno (Heartless Bastards, Polica, Black Joe Lewis) at his Public Hi-Fi studio, Preachers is the first My Jerusalem album genuinely made by a band, not just performed by a group of musicians. Pushing aside hard drives and laptops to make way for analog tape machines and vintage keyboards, what Klein describes as the "Post-Modern Southern Gothic Soul" sounds of Preachers
were born from organic, live performances Eno carefully captured and tweaked.
Preachers is the follow-up to 2010's critically acclaimed debut, Gone For Good, an album that earned the band performances on BBC Radio 6 and Daytrotter, as well as notices from NPR's All Songs Considered, AOL/Spinner's Song of the Day, and the
iTunes Weekly Rewind. Along with European festival appearances at the Frequency Festival, Musikfestwochen, and Rock Im Saal, the band toured and played shows with a eclectic set of bands including Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, Har Mar
Superstar, Avett Brothers, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, and White Arrows.
Buoyed by the success of Gone For Good, Preachers showcases a band headed into the studio with a renewed focus and confidence. Preachers contains equal parts swagger
(the swampy gospel of title track "Preachers", the strutting intensity of "Born In The Belly") and groove (the spooky beauty of "Shatter Together", the crescendoing, feral drive of "Devoe", the infectious crooner "Mono"); as much primal ("Death Valley") as it
is humane ("Chameleon").
"It's a darker record," says Klein, who, before forming My Jerusalem in 2010, made 3 records under his own name. "So much had changed since Gone For Good. We'd all kind
of been through hell and back again in different ways, and this was the natural artistic result of all of that. But I think it's a beautiful, comforting darkness. It's real, but not selfish."
"We finally have a shared collective vibe," adds guitarist/keyboardist Jon Merz, "I believe it's more representative of what our live shows sound like. This time around, Jeff would bring us song ideas and we would add our own perspectives to it."
The five-piece, which also features multi-instrumentalist Michael St. Clair, drummer Grant Van Amburgh, and bassist Geena Spigarelli, also had the opportunity to road-test much of the new material before recording, during their extensive touring behind Gone For Good. It was a luxury they didn't have the first time around.
"Working out the kinks live before recording them makes a big difference," reflects Klein, "They get a chance to breathe and grow before committing them to the world permanently. Because of that process, some songs, like 'Death Valley,' sound nothing like
their early version. We're excited to take them on the road and see how they evolve even further."
Equal parts sweet, morbid, strange, and sincere, Preachers is an experience that could convert the most steadfast of non-believers.
killed by the weight of the earth on top of him."
Behold the concept behind Preachers, the second full-length release from Austin's My Jerusalem. From the opening piano of the haunting title track, to the unexpected pummeling guitar and drums on closer "I Left My Conscience In You", Preachers leads
the listener on a cinematic journey through a reckless, jagged landscape of Raymond Carver-esque stories, fueled by Klein's persuasive baritone, ominous guitars, dream-like keyboards and a deep rhythmic pulse.
Recorded in under three weeks by Spoon drummer Jim Eno (Heartless Bastards, Polica, Black Joe Lewis) at his Public Hi-Fi studio, Preachers is the first My Jerusalem album genuinely made by a band, not just performed by a group of musicians. Pushing aside hard drives and laptops to make way for analog tape machines and vintage keyboards, what Klein describes as the "Post-Modern Southern Gothic Soul" sounds of Preachers
were born from organic, live performances Eno carefully captured and tweaked.
Preachers is the follow-up to 2010's critically acclaimed debut, Gone For Good, an album that earned the band performances on BBC Radio 6 and Daytrotter, as well as notices from NPR's All Songs Considered, AOL/Spinner's Song of the Day, and the
iTunes Weekly Rewind. Along with European festival appearances at the Frequency Festival, Musikfestwochen, and Rock Im Saal, the band toured and played shows with a eclectic set of bands including Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, Har Mar
Superstar, Avett Brothers, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, and White Arrows.
Buoyed by the success of Gone For Good, Preachers showcases a band headed into the studio with a renewed focus and confidence. Preachers contains equal parts swagger
(the swampy gospel of title track "Preachers", the strutting intensity of "Born In The Belly") and groove (the spooky beauty of "Shatter Together", the crescendoing, feral drive of "Devoe", the infectious crooner "Mono"); as much primal ("Death Valley") as it
is humane ("Chameleon").
"It's a darker record," says Klein, who, before forming My Jerusalem in 2010, made 3 records under his own name. "So much had changed since Gone For Good. We'd all kind
of been through hell and back again in different ways, and this was the natural artistic result of all of that. But I think it's a beautiful, comforting darkness. It's real, but not selfish."
"We finally have a shared collective vibe," adds guitarist/keyboardist Jon Merz, "I believe it's more representative of what our live shows sound like. This time around, Jeff would bring us song ideas and we would add our own perspectives to it."
The five-piece, which also features multi-instrumentalist Michael St. Clair, drummer Grant Van Amburgh, and bassist Geena Spigarelli, also had the opportunity to road-test much of the new material before recording, during their extensive touring behind Gone For Good. It was a luxury they didn't have the first time around.
"Working out the kinks live before recording them makes a big difference," reflects Klein, "They get a chance to breathe and grow before committing them to the world permanently. Because of that process, some songs, like 'Death Valley,' sound nothing like
their early version. We're excited to take them on the road and see how they evolve even further."
Equal parts sweet, morbid, strange, and sincere, Preachers is an experience that could convert the most steadfast of non-believers.
Dead Heart Bloom - (Set time: 9:30 PM)
Wide Awake and Dreaming is the stunning breakthrough album by New York’s Dead Heart Bloom. Reminiscent of classics such as Urban Hymns by The Verve and Ladies and Gentlemen… by former tour mates Spiritualized, Wide Awake and Dreaming marks DHB’s full realization as a band. The latest record serves as a logical, yet more mature follow-up to their prior releases, including their album Chelsea Diaries, which was nominated for the Shortlist Prize alongside acclaimed works by Wilco, Arcade Fire and Spoon.
Rolling Stone calls Dead Heart Bloom’s music "sublime”, while CMJ praises their “unsettling bluesy yet aggressive rock guitar driven music". Under the Radar magazine has effused that they "come on like the ocean: ancient, enveloping, and with just a little darkness beneath."
Recorded and produced by Carlos Anthony Molina of Mercury Rev in Kingston, New York, the record meshes visionary lyrics and dreamy melodies with warm, stirring lead vocals and expertly-mixed harmonies. Coupled with stomping drums and epic guitars and strings, the songs swell and soar at all the right moments. Molina’s production effort with Dead Heart Bloom is notably inspired by his recording experiences and friendship with iconic producer Dave Fridmann (Flaming Lips, Mercury Rev, MGMT).
Discussing the band, Anthony says, "I found that we had a lot of the same early rock & psychedelic/dream pop influences. Regarding his production, he shares, “Producing a track like "Strange Ideas" requires me to keep the most exciting element out in front, whether it's Boris' velvet vocal, the hyper Wurlitzer piano solo, or Paul's sea foam fuzzy guitars."
Critical references to the Beatles, David Bowie, Bends-era Radiohead and Pink Floyd, used to describe Dead Heart Bloom’s earlier work, are also entirely appropriate when describing the sound achieved by Molina and the band on the ten new songs comprising Wide Awake and Dreaming.
Dead Heart Bloom was formed by songwriter, vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Boris Skalsky and guitarist Paul Wood following the dissolution of their previous band, the Washington, DC-based Phaser. Having quickly captured the attention of the indie press and radio, Phaser honed their live act touring with such artists as Interpol, Super Furry Animals, BRMC and Longwave. Hand-picked by drummer Jimmy Chamberlin of Smashing Pumpkins to perform in the touring band for his project Skysaw, Boris and Paul further developed their live attack on stage, all the while vowing to solidify the Dead Heart Bloom lineup. Enter former Longwave drummer Jason Molina (brother of producer Carlos Anthony). Formally joining the band in the winter of 2011, Jason was integral to the writing and recording of the new album, adding a rhythmic backbone and notable percussive depth to the material. He explains, "I was first struck by the intimacy of Boris' vocals, and then the fantastically classic melodies hit me. It was an opportunity I couldn't pass up.”
Boris was raised in a Ukrainian household filled with music. His mother was a classical pianist, and his father, a musical polymath who, as Boris says, “Saw no difference between a Schubert lieder and a Beatles song.” In addition to Dead Heart Bloom, Boris is also a classically-trained composer, whose works have premiered in the U.S. and abroad, most recently in a retrospective concert in Washington, D.C. Boris reflects, "As long as I can remember, I've felt the pull of many musical styles, ultimately being in bands all my life. This record is the first that I think truly captures the expansiveness of all the genres that I love."
Paul fell in love with the guitar (and guitar effects) after seeing The Edge perform at Red Rocks on PBS as a teenager. He quickly became obsessed with British indie labels such as Rough Trade, Factory and 4AD, eventually working backwards through the early glam of T. Rex, Bowie and Eno and into late sixties Rolling Stones and Pink Floyd. Connecting with Boris proved to be a perfect sonic match, and their songwriting partnership has continually evolved, culminating in Wide Awake and Dreaming.
"My favorite albums have always combined classic songwriting with cinematic atmosphere”, says Paul. “Boris and I both have a natural inclination for big choruses and instrumental effects. This album is a great balance of live energy, sweeping arrangements and a Wall of Sound production we've been building up to over the past few years."
Wide Awake and Dreaming is a testament to the disappearing craft of album-making. With this refreshing combination of classic songwriting and deeply memorable hooks, Dead Heart Bloom reset the blueprint for analog emotions in a digital world.
Rolling Stone calls Dead Heart Bloom’s music "sublime”, while CMJ praises their “unsettling bluesy yet aggressive rock guitar driven music". Under the Radar magazine has effused that they "come on like the ocean: ancient, enveloping, and with just a little darkness beneath."
Recorded and produced by Carlos Anthony Molina of Mercury Rev in Kingston, New York, the record meshes visionary lyrics and dreamy melodies with warm, stirring lead vocals and expertly-mixed harmonies. Coupled with stomping drums and epic guitars and strings, the songs swell and soar at all the right moments. Molina’s production effort with Dead Heart Bloom is notably inspired by his recording experiences and friendship with iconic producer Dave Fridmann (Flaming Lips, Mercury Rev, MGMT).
Discussing the band, Anthony says, "I found that we had a lot of the same early rock & psychedelic/dream pop influences. Regarding his production, he shares, “Producing a track like "Strange Ideas" requires me to keep the most exciting element out in front, whether it's Boris' velvet vocal, the hyper Wurlitzer piano solo, or Paul's sea foam fuzzy guitars."
Critical references to the Beatles, David Bowie, Bends-era Radiohead and Pink Floyd, used to describe Dead Heart Bloom’s earlier work, are also entirely appropriate when describing the sound achieved by Molina and the band on the ten new songs comprising Wide Awake and Dreaming.
Dead Heart Bloom was formed by songwriter, vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Boris Skalsky and guitarist Paul Wood following the dissolution of their previous band, the Washington, DC-based Phaser. Having quickly captured the attention of the indie press and radio, Phaser honed their live act touring with such artists as Interpol, Super Furry Animals, BRMC and Longwave. Hand-picked by drummer Jimmy Chamberlin of Smashing Pumpkins to perform in the touring band for his project Skysaw, Boris and Paul further developed their live attack on stage, all the while vowing to solidify the Dead Heart Bloom lineup. Enter former Longwave drummer Jason Molina (brother of producer Carlos Anthony). Formally joining the band in the winter of 2011, Jason was integral to the writing and recording of the new album, adding a rhythmic backbone and notable percussive depth to the material. He explains, "I was first struck by the intimacy of Boris' vocals, and then the fantastically classic melodies hit me. It was an opportunity I couldn't pass up.”
Boris was raised in a Ukrainian household filled with music. His mother was a classical pianist, and his father, a musical polymath who, as Boris says, “Saw no difference between a Schubert lieder and a Beatles song.” In addition to Dead Heart Bloom, Boris is also a classically-trained composer, whose works have premiered in the U.S. and abroad, most recently in a retrospective concert in Washington, D.C. Boris reflects, "As long as I can remember, I've felt the pull of many musical styles, ultimately being in bands all my life. This record is the first that I think truly captures the expansiveness of all the genres that I love."
Paul fell in love with the guitar (and guitar effects) after seeing The Edge perform at Red Rocks on PBS as a teenager. He quickly became obsessed with British indie labels such as Rough Trade, Factory and 4AD, eventually working backwards through the early glam of T. Rex, Bowie and Eno and into late sixties Rolling Stones and Pink Floyd. Connecting with Boris proved to be a perfect sonic match, and their songwriting partnership has continually evolved, culminating in Wide Awake and Dreaming.
"My favorite albums have always combined classic songwriting with cinematic atmosphere”, says Paul. “Boris and I both have a natural inclination for big choruses and instrumental effects. This album is a great balance of live energy, sweeping arrangements and a Wall of Sound production we've been building up to over the past few years."
Wide Awake and Dreaming is a testament to the disappearing craft of album-making. With this refreshing combination of classic songwriting and deeply memorable hooks, Dead Heart Bloom reset the blueprint for analog emotions in a digital world.
