The Key » Caveman

Tonight’s Concert Picks: Caveman at Johnny Brenda’s, Bonobo at The TLA, Young Man at North Star Bar, Tylan at World Cafe Live

Julie Miller — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 14:15:43 +0000

Caveman headline Johnny Brenda’s tonight in support of their self-titled sophomore effort. The Brooklyn band turned heads with their 2011′s CoCo Beware debut, an album that displayed an affinity for theatrical synths and instrumental phrases threaded and revisited throughout the tracks. The four-piece employs that cohesiveness again on the new LP, with guitar riffs in lead single “In the City” being reprised in “Over My Head” and even echoing hooks from CoCo Beware standout “Old Friend.” Tickets and information for tonight’s 21+ show with Son Step and Pure Bathing Culture can be found here. Stream “In the City” below.

Electronic composer and DJ Bonobo plays The TLA tonight. The downtempo producer released his latest full length The North Borders in March and told NPR’s All Things Considered that the album was inspired by his frequent flights between New York and London. The transcontinental nature of Bonobo’s career plays out in other ways on the album as well, with the DJ recording various instruments and found-sounds he encounters while traveling, giving The North Borders a world music aesthetic within the context of electronica. Tickets and information for tonight’s show with Shigeto can be found here. Below, watch the video for “Cirrus.”

Chicago multi-instrumentalist Young Man brings his full band tour to North Star Bar tonight. Colin Caulfield has been recording under the moniker for four releases, but with this week’s Beyond Was All Around Me he closes that chapter of his life. Beyond comes as the final installment of a trilogy Caulfield began two years ago, opening with Ideas of Distance and continuing with Vol. 1. As evidenced by the album titles and Beyond single “In a Sense,” Young Man worked within the boundaries of reflection and self-evaluation, walking the fault lines of singer-songwriter and dream pop with ease. Tickets and information for tonight’s show with Peace Arrow,Gemini Wolf and Mike Bruno + the Black Magic Family Band can be found here. Watch the brand new video for “In a Sense” below and read what Caulfield has to say about the song on MTV Hive.

Tylan will perform upstairs at World Cafe Live tonight. Founding member of folk pop quartet Girlyman, Tylan struck out on her own last summer to record a debut solo album called One True Thing. The effort was funded by an extremely successful Kickstarter campaign, meeting the campaign goal of $20,000 in just one day. As her bandmates in Girlyman turned their focus towards children’s music with their new project D is for Django, Tylan recorded previously unreleased tracks written for the band and wrote some brand new songs for One True Thing. Tickets and information for tonight’s show can be found here. Below, watch Tylan perform “Fool Me Again” during a show at World Cafe Live last year.

Stream Caveman’s new album via NPR First Listen (playing Johnny Brenda’s on 4/11)

Julie Miller — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 15:23:00 +0000

Caveman began sharing snippets of their new record in late January with the majestically enticing “In the City,” a track that set the bar high for the rest of the self-titled sophomore effort. Now with the release just a week away, the Brooklyn band’s multifaceted pop / rock album is streaming in full through NPR’s First Listen feature. With slow burners like “Ankles” and “I See You” supporting the instantaneous allure of “In the City,” Caveman have followed up their 2010 debut CoCo Beware with an album that gets better and better with each listen. The five-piece will be in town on April 11th for a show at Johnny Brenda’s with Pure Bathing Culture and Son Step; tickets and information for the 21+ show can be found here. Stream the album via NPR here and stream “In the City” below.

Caveman share new track “In the City” (playing Johnny Brenda’s on 4/11)

Julie Miller — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 20:00:31 +0000

New York indie rock outfit Caveman have a new album coming out on April 2nd via Fat Possom Records. On the track they shared this week called “In the City” the band seems to be hinting at a more outwardly expansive sound a la Peter Gabriel, latching onto the polished 80s vibes of their post-chamber pop debut CoCo Beware with lush arrangements and solid soundscapes. Caveman play Johnny Brenda’s on April 11th with Pure Bathing Culture and Son Step; tickets and information can be found here. Stream “In the City” below.

Caveman recording a new album (playing Johnny Brenda’s 4/11)

Skye Leppo — Sun, 30 Dec 2012 17:30:38 +0000

In case you weren’t aware of their status as “Discovery of 2011″ from NPR, Brooklyn rockers Caveman have already made their New Year’s resolve to take back 2013. The glam indie five-piece announced plans to record a brand new album set for release in early 2013 accompanied by a wave of tour dates, wrapping up with a finale performance at Johnny Brenda’s on April 11th (get your tickets for the 21+ show here). Their 2011 full-length debut, CoCo Beware, is an experimental collection of pensive chamber pop tracks like “Old Friend.” CoCo Beware, with its melancholic guitar riffs and slow moody lyrics, is a hypnotic set of lullabies for a post-rock generation. You can download “Thankful” from the band’s website here, and check out their video for “Great Life” below.

Saturday and Sunday Concert Picks: Arc in Round, Built to Spill, Free Energy, Steve Wynn, Bonnie “Prince” Billy, and Mynabirds

Rachel Barrish — Fri, 22 Jun 2012 20:06:39 +0000

Arc In Round

Here’s our concert picks for Saturday and Sunday

SATURDAY:

WXPN and R5 Productions present Arc in Round for their Record Release Party at Johnny Brenda’s. The 21+ show begins at 9 PM, go here to purchase tickets.

Free Energy & Grandchildren at Morgan’s Pier–21+, 5 PM, FREE

Built to Spill/Caveman at Union Transfer, 8:30 PM, all ages, go here to purchase tickets.

Steve Wynn & The Miracle 3 open for The Fleshtones at North Star Bar, this 21+ show begins at 9 PM, tickets are $15

SUNDAY:

Bonnie “Prince” Billy at the Trocadero, 7:30 PM, all ages, $20-22

The Nebraska folks in Mynabirds who just released their killer new album, Generals earlier this month, play at Johnny Brenda’s, get tickets for the 21+ show here, set begins at 9 PM.

Philly Local Philes: Caveman’s “Dream Land”

John Vettese — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 19:08:36 +0000

The exploratory guitar patterns and progressive tempos of Philadelphia’s Caveman easily recall another indie-jazz combo of note: Medeski Martin & Wood. So it’s no accident that the four-piece finds itself opening for Mago, the side project of John Medeski and Billy Martin, over at University City’s Blockley Pourhouse this Wednesday. Last December, the band released its self-titled debut EP, and today’s we take the XPN2 Philly Local Philes on a mellow detour to immerse ourselves in the wandering vibes of “Dream Land.” Opening out on the humming tones of Brian Marsella’s organ, the pointed punctuations of John Lee’s lead guitar build up gradually alongside the chugging rhythm section of bassist John Buck and drummer Tim Keiper. It’s done at such a smooth, measured pace, by the time the song erupts around the 3-minute mark, you haven’t even flinched. Listen below; if you want more, catch them Wed. Nov. 30 at The Blockley and get blissfully lost.