JEZEBEL MUSIC FEATURE
Falcon

Falcon (pictured) is Jezebel Music’s Feature Artist for January 2009. With openers Worst Case Ontario, Spanish Prisoners, and No Eye Contact, Falcon will headline the January Feature Show at Union Pool on Thursday, January 29.

Few bands have a more unique back-story than Falcon. Note several facts about the band:

[1] Not one of the songs Falcon has recorded or performs live was written by a member of the band.
[2] Another Falcon song cannot be written. The band’s repertoire will inevitably one day be exhausted.
[3] Falcon is not a cover band.

Quite the conundrum, no? Here are some answers:

[1] All of Falcon’s material was written by a teenage boy, named Jared Falcon, in the later part of the 80’s and archived on a Fisher Price tape recorder.
[2] Jared wrote and recorded close to a song a day for an entire year, until he was institutionalized in February 1988. He is no longer alive.
[3] Wikipedia says a cover song is a “new rendition of a previously recorded, commercially released song.” If someone were to stumble upon 300-plus songs written by a songwriting prodigy in the 80’s and flesh the songs out with a full band two decades later, this does not by definition a cover make. (You can’t accurately call Falcon a “tribute band” either – a band paying tribute to a passed musical friend is more like it.)

To be continued next Wednesday…

HOLY MUSICIAN, BATMAN!
Graham Maby

Standing out on the bass guitar is not always a good thing. Les Claypool, one of the most technically proficient bassists alive, was famously passed over for the bass slot in Metallica for being “too good.” But for every Claypool, there are a thousand guitarist-turned-bassists who simply ride the root of the chord without deviation. Are these really the only two extremes for our four (or five, or sometimes six) string brethren? Either over the top or under the radar?

Thankfully, there are more than a handful of low-enders that find a balance between the two. Today, on the inaugural edition of “Holy Musician, Batman!,” I would like to highlight Graham Maby. Maby has played for 30 years with Joe Jackson, as well as playing for as diverse acts as They Might Be Giants, Joan Baez, David Broza, Dar Williams, Freedy Johnston, Ian Hunter (formerly of Mott the Hoople) and Natalie Merchant. He is one of the few bassists with a style so his own that I have found myself asking “Is this Graham Maby?” when hearing a song on the radio. Usually, my ears are correct – you never know when you’ll hear Maby’s playing, as he has roots in so many musical worlds.
More on Holy Musician, Batman! : Graham Maby

RESONANCE PREVIEW
You’re Invited: Resonance Housewarming Party at Matchless on Wednesday!

You are cordially invited to celebrate Resonance’s new home at Bar Matchless.

Resonance got the hell out of the Big Apple and moved into a cozy space on the corner of Manhattan and Driggs at the top of McCarren Park. This Wednesday, January 7, be there as four of Resonance’s buddies — Ramzi Khoury, Laura Meyer, Brett Saxon, and Angela Ortiz — help warm the new room of Jezebel Music’s weekly songwriter showcase. Each and every Wednesday (catastrophic weather and major holidays pending), four handpicked acts will perform for FREE. And for those who like to indulge, Bar Matchless offers a fine and rather wide array of domestic brew on tap.

Bar Matchless (showroom is behind the bar!)
http://www.barmatchless.com/
557 Manhattan Ave
Wednesday, January 7
7:00p–10:30p
NO COVER

Just one of the four singers and songwriters at the party will be Laura Meyer (pictured), whose memorable song “Atlantis” brought her to the second round of the 5th Annual Williamsburg Live Songwriter Competition this past November. Laura features unique guitar parts and arrangements, strong vocals and standout lyrics, and altogether solid songwriting. Don’t just take our word for this performer’s merits; Laura’s MySpace page gives us a some hard, cold facts: “2008 Winner of Great Waters Songwriting Contest; 2008 Rocky Mountain Folks Festival Song Contest Finalist; 2008 Telluride Bluegrass Troubadour Finalist; 2008 Winner of the Radio Crystal Blue Airplay Vote; 2008 Recognized by BMI for Professional Songwriting; 2007 NEMO/Starbucks Music Makers Competition Finalist; 2007 Telluride Bluegrass Troubadour Honorable Mention; 2007 Mountain Stage NewSong Northeast Finalist; 2007 Recognized by BMI for Professional Songwriting and Vocal Performance; 4x recipient of the ASCAPlus Award.”

See you Wednesday!!!

FRESH BAKED
Emmett and Mary
Emmett and Mary
2008 | My Idea of Fun
A

Johnstown, PA is mostly unremarkable in the exact same way as nearly every other small American city. There’s local representation of every major fast food and grocery chain, and a handful of local businesses doing their best to stay afloat. The percentage of cool, progressive artists in Johnstown is staggering. Miles off the interstate, you could cross Pennsylvania on road trips between Philly and Pittsburgh a hundred times without even driving through Johnstown. You would probably think you had seen everything you needed to in a random suburb town like this one. You’d be making a big mistake.

Johnstown, PA is home of one of the most vibrant, dedicated artist collectives in the United States. Quite a bit like the Elephant Six group in structure, the My Idea of Fun collective is united not so much by sound as by common interests: to make art and music together, without the pressure of record labels and management waiting in the wings to swing down and commodify the fun out of it. The most prominent of the My Idea of Fun groups is Endless Mike and the Beagle Club, a pop group with anywhere between one and fifteen members, depending on the day you see them. The Beagle Club tours often, and while one might think that a fifteen-piece pop group is surely as adventurous and grand as independent music can get, lifelong Johnstownians Christopher Bell and Brandon Locher’s new band, Emmett and Mary, have trumped the Beagle Club in terms of size and scope with their debut long player. Arguably, My Idea Of Fun #64 is the logical extension of In The Aeroplane Over The Sea, Jeff Mangum’s 1997 homemade psychedelic pop masterpiece that has yet to be challenged, even by the man who wrote it.
More on Fresh Baked: Emmett and Mary

IN THE TUBE
“The Rip” by Portishead

Brittish trip-hop/electronic band Portishead have been up and running since their first release, Dummy, in 1994 (featuring the classic single “Sour Times”). Well over a decade, Portishead is still going strong. Their recently released LP Third (actually their fourth album) is quite impressive; a significantly stronger effort than most of their peers with roots in the 90’s (save Radiohead). With so many tired records being produced by withering rock bands, listening to Third is quite the breath of fresh air. It’s invigorating to find that not all things fade so fast.

Listening to and watching to the video for “The Rip,” a single from Third, it’s hard to deny that Portishead still has it. If you’re not convinced, maybe Radiohead’s cover (or simply the fact that Thom decided to cover the song) will change your mind.

by Dan D’Ippolito

LOCAL SPOTLIGHT
Katy Pfaffl

Photo of Katy Pfaffl by Josh Silk

The New York City singer-songwriter scene certainly does not suffer from any lack of talent. But inimitable exceptionality surfaces from the very few. Katy Pfaffl, an equally accomplished vocalist, pianist, violinist, and guitarist, is indisputably one of these rare greats. A consummate musician’s musician, she synchronizes with masterful integrity her angelic yet gutsy voice with lush lyrics and instrumentation, composing songs bestowed with an ardent elegance evocative of Joni Mitchell, Jeff Buckley, and Carole King.

Like Mitchell especially, not only Pfaffl’s sound, but the evolution of her craft as a whole possesses a sculptural aspect. Each facet investigated, whether as particular as the arrangement of the string section in a certain song, or as sweeping as the decision to consistently include string sections in her music, at all, builds upon what has already been expertly, and dotingly, chiseled. The resulting presence both towers and accompanies, commands and invites; true art at its finest.
More on Local Spotlight: Katy Pfaffl

Get ready! Beginning Monday January 5, JezebelMusic.com is launching a freshly designed, weekly schedule of columns covering a wide array of music-related subjects. Like clockwork, two topic-specific posts will appear each and every day. Look forward to it!

Mondays
LOCAL SPOTLIGHT | The music and careers, hopes and aspirations of phenomenal talent that has yet to go national.
IN THE TUBE | Video clips accompanied by commentary on relevance to new music and the music industry.

Tuesdays
FRESH BAKED | Reviews of newly released records.
RESONANCE PREVIEW | A look at the upcoming Jezebel Music Wednesday night showcase at Bar Matchless.

Wednesdays
HOLY MUSICIAN, BATMAN! | Spotlight on performers who truly excel in musicianship.
JEZEBEL MUSIC FEATURE | Teasers about the current Jezebel Music Monthly Feature Artist.

Thursdays
HIDDEN GEM | Reviews of great records that never received the popularity and acclaim they deserve.
FRESH BAKED | Reviews of newly released records.

Fridays
TOP DOG | Commentary on top-selling, chart-topping musicians, leading music publications and popular media.
ART OF SONG | In depth, analytical song reviews.

Saturdays
ORIGINALITY CORNER | Spotlight on the most original music that’s also really good.
HATE TO ADMIT IT BUT… | Closer looks at “Guilty Pleasures.”

Sundays
NOT ROCK | Reviews and artist-features about Hip-Hop, Jazz, Opera, World, Christian etc.
VIRTUAL JUNGLE | Articles about the music industry, online music culture, trends and emerging technology.
YOU WRITE | Music journalism from random people who care to submit.

Welcome the last day of 2008! Give yourself a hearty pat on the back for making it through another year.

As action packed as 2008 has been, the future looks bright for 2009. To keep you company on your annual voyage, Jezebel Music is proud to offer a slimmed-down, lean, mean trio of entertaining entities: the Monthly Feature Show (taking place on the second Thursday of each month at Public Assembly beginning in February 2009), Resonance (at Bar Matchless starting January 7) and JezebelMusic.com.

If you’re at work today, here’s a little something, courtesy of Asthmatic Kitty Records and Mr. Sufjan Stevens, to make the day go a little quicker (and keep the holiday spirit alive a little longer): http://xmas.asthmatickitty.com/

Leave it to Sufjan to record a new Christmas record every year. 2008 saw the release of Astral Inter Planet Space Captain Christmas Infinity Voyage, featuring renditions of classics such as “Do You See What I See?,” “It Came Upon a Midnight Clear,” and “Joy to the World.”

To all who have read, listened, watched and participated in Jezebel Music events in 2008, thanks!, and we’ll see you in ’09…