Cults - "You Know What I Mean"

Retro-pop duo Cults are back with another beautifully shot video and this time it's for one of my favorite tracks from 2011, "You Know What I Mean". Watch it above via Pitchfork.

No Age / HEALTH / Cults / Ceremony played Vans House Parties

Vans kicked off their free summer concert series here in Brooklyn last week with a jam packed line-up of noisey fun. California hardcore act Ceremony kicked off the evening with their energy infused set of classic punk inciting circle pits and flying fists among other things. The aggressive growls and yells were met with pounding drums and thundering bass.

Cults were the odd band on the bill as they definitely did not fit in with the noise factor of the rest of the acts, however they were still able to fully engage their crowd even though their hopes of a circle pit of their own, never came to fruition. The expanded line-up of Cults, Manson family hair and all, brushed through their sugary pop jams meant for summer parties. New tracks such as "Abducted" and "Yeah You Know What I Mean" sounded fantastic and old tunes "Go Outside" and "Oh My God" really got people moving. While Madeline's voice is utterly amazing, the mix did not allow for their great sound to really penetrate the crowd. Some key elements were lost along the way holding back the band from making a great performance amazing.

Trance/dance/noise/punk band HEALTH served as the bridge between the pop dance-ability of Cults and the hardcore grind of No Age. The great energy brought forth by the band was equally matched by enthusiastic fans as synth undertones were upstaged by frantic drumming and swirling guitar. The rich sound provided perpetual grooves as the band powered through jam after jam culminating in their epic "USA BOYS" which proved to be the ultimate moment of their set as the crowd totally let loose showing a true blend of crowd surfing, moshing, and dancing ensuring that these guys can really draw a diverse crowd and still are able to make the most out of their truly unique sound.

It has already felt like a long night by the time No Age took the stage, however as soon as these two plugged in a second wind filled the crowd. The hard hitting Dean Spunt tore up his drum kit as he belted away each song while Randy Randall shredded away just a few steps over. The raw energy of these two really showcased their ability to rip through their oldest jams "Everybody's Down" with the same intensity as new classic "Fever Dreaming" and showed that these two are not afraid to mix old and new tracks for a set list full of punk classics in the making. The ear splitting guitar of Randall and exuberant drumming of Spunt showed a duo in prime form on the verge of being as big as they ever could have thought. The two display such a presence onstage that is hard to find amongst their peers. They blur the line of their DIY punk roots with their Pitchfork adorned present and are still able to hold true to their sound making them one of few bands that have been making consistently better albums over time.

Cults - "Abducted"

Getting ready for their full-length debut to drop in June.

Cults/Twin Sister/The Morning Benders played Webster Hall

Webster hall was in a bit of a frenzy tonight for the final stop on the Morning Benders massive tour in support of their excellent album Big Echo. Rising retro pop act Cults kicked off the evening with an all too short set (although they have yet to even release an E.P.) of throw-back wall of sound Phil Spector inspired pop jams that show nothing but promise. With a full length in the works for 2011, it is only a matter of time before the infectious surf riffs and soulful lead vocals really gain attention. Again the inadequate audio system at Webster plagued the group and an early start time of 7:00 did not allow for much of a show, but the group still managed to keep people bopping along.
Twin Sister brought the crowd towards the constellations for their stunning psychedelic dream-pop performance. Andrea Estella's hushed breathy vocals floated over the crowd while dripping guitar licks were blended with droned electronics putting the audience into a stellar daze. Stand out tracks "Ginger" "I Want a House "Lady Daydream" and set closer "All Around and Away We Go" were dazzling and rich of texture.
The Morning Benders played perhaps one of the most polished shows I have ever seen at Webster Hall. Their classic pop jems were drenched with reverb and echoed early sounds of the 1960s. Despite their intrinsic approach to blissful melodies, the quartet were able to generate a huge sound that rang through the hall. In the middle of their set they announced a cover of Fleetwood Mac's "Dreams" which inspired an full on sing-a-long including guest vocals by Estella of Twin Sister. However it was the final song, a rousing rendition of "Excuses" that really clinched the night.