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Noisy Brooklyn Artists on the Rise: CAVES
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"...The Secret Machines flirting with Animal Collective."
FULL ARTICLE
We love it when bands jus..."...The Secret Machines flirting with Animal Collective."
FULL ARTICLE
We love it when bands just give us the genre definition of their music themselves - and we love it even more when such definition is not super cheesy and works perfectly in describing their sound. CAVES is a Brooklyn based band (via North Carolina and San Francisco) that plays, as they say, "trash can psychadelia in an industrial wasteland"... therefore you should get: droney atmospheres - check; dreamy vocals and effects - check; distorted drums - check. Also, somehow the words "industrial wasteland" make us think of some parts of Bushwick - we wouldn't be surprised if they lived just there. But you may ask, are they good? We didn't see them live yet but we are definitely enjoying their songs, which sound like a "DIY-er" version of The Secret Machines flirting at times with a more "avant" approach reminiscent of Animal Collective. The industrial element is limited to the recurrent but always sparse distorted percussive elements (this "noise factory" is a rather slow one, unlike most "proper" industrial acts, who enjoy to turn the BPM knob up). The band has a brand new debut EP and a series of shows scheduled in the near future: Public Assembly on March 3 and Pianos on March 14 - do not miss.
Published on January 29, 2010
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MCMAF Show Review: Caves @ Rickshaw Stop
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Caves
The surprise performance of the night, however, came from opening band Caves, which frontman ...Caves
The surprise performance of the night, however, came from opening band Caves, which frontman Zach Shepard called Caves of Wonder and Caves of Light, among other names. It looks like the full list of names is on their MySpace page, but the take-away point is that this is a band to watch. Both Brewer and guitarist Wymond Miles perform in the Tower Ravens, but Caves's songs stand apart from Parasol's, blending a number of genres and integrating alternate instrumentation, like a ukelele, with little effort. Now I just need to hear their album, Here is Vision.
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Finding Much to Love in CAVES
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The title says it all: we’re really digging CAVES [MySpace]. The band uprooted from San Fran-to-Broo...The title says it all: we’re really digging CAVES [MySpace]. The band uprooted from San Fran-to-Brooklyn and make whwe’re hearing the impact of both cities on their latest project, their Face the Wall EP. The charming psychedelia of the Bay Area seems like a less than likely partner for the lo-fi movement they’ve come to embrace in their new digs, but this, as they’ve termed it “trash can psychedelia,” makes for beautiful music.
Any chance that I get to talk about my two favorite cities in the world is enough for me, but I really love what I have heard. Check out the track “after the jump”
[mp3] [listen] CAVES – “Face the Wall”
[mp3] [listen] CAVES – “Arp”
[mp3] [listen] CAVES – “points of light”
Upcoming NYC Dates
3/3/10 Public Assembly Brooklyn, NY
4/8/10 Glasslands Gallery Brooklyn, NY
4/30/10 Cameo Brooklyn, NY
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EP Review + MP3 Feature
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Face the Wall EP Review & MP3 of 'Points of Light' Featured:
In a storm shelter, a meal in candle...Face the Wall EP Review & MP3 of 'Points of Light' Featured:
In a storm shelter, a meal in candlelight. A clean plate with a bit of oil and a bit of bread. A few leaves from the garden and a few berries from the field. A cup of nuts, and a bit of water. In the distance, the sky is bursting orange and green in fire and guts, but here the candle doesn't flicker, the small bookshelf doesn't sway, the table legs steady and the chair sits solid. Head down, a dim reflection of the candle in the oil on the plate, a dim distant face in the reflection in the oil, contorted and ripped apart by the sopping of the bread.
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Premiere: CAVES: “Face the Wall”
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There are a few bands from the 90s that haven’t maintained their “promise of influence” all that wel...There are a few bands from the 90s that haven’t maintained their “promise of influence” all that well (I use scare quotes here, because I realize that this concept, a promise of influence, is a load of bullshit. A band’s lasting success is mostly reliant on the bands that “promise influence” immediately after them. Sorry, Television, that’s mostly why you’re important). Liz Phair, Archers of Loaf, and Walt Mink are a few of these bands. But one of the most striking bands whose arsenal is never drawn from is the Dismemberment Plan. Bands inspired by the Dismemberment Plan (which is indicated by crystal clear vocals, noodling, shifts in song structure, and blips. Lotsa blips) are few and far between. The closest thing I could think of is Yeasayer – but that’s more Floyd and the Flaming Lips, than it is Travis Morrison and Co.
The preceding paragraph is just a lead up to say, rather oafishly: “So..uhh…isn’t it cool? This band CAVES totally sounds kind of like the Dismemberment Plan. They uhh…even sing about science and shit. Not many bands do that I guess…yeah.”
CAVES just got to Brooklyn from San Francisco a few months ago. They’ll be releasing an album, A Year of Magic (for beginners) sometime this year, and are releasing an EP, Face the Wall in April (which you can check out here). Stream “Face the Wall” below…it sounds kind of like the Dismemberment Plan. Yeah!
mp3 feature: Caves - “Face the Wall”
by Max Sebela
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Show Review: Caves
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With the backdrop of beaded curtains, a stage viewable from two levels and sounds that travel into t...With the backdrop of beaded curtains, a stage viewable from two levels and sounds that travel into the streets of Philadelphia’s Fishtown, Caves took the stage at Johnny Brenda’s on Thursday night.
Shadows moved, keyboard waves grew and the silhouette of Zach Shepard appeared. From the start of their set, Caves, who are based out of Brooklyn, never needed a light in the room to stage their out-of-body experience that the group of three (Zach, Tim, Luis) projected through hollowing vocals, crashing keyboard clips and bass heavy drums. All of this with red, green and blue fluorescent lights accompanied the psychedelic mood that had already been cast on the audience.
The group inherited Shepard’s San Francisco roots into their urban surroundings thus exposing the facade of an expansive, instrument-strong band. Their live show lives this experience, whether the “Karma Police”-esque night vision of the lead singer is the only thing visible on a small television or if the samples of Kurzweil harmony pound from under your feet. Everything at a Caves show is worth experiencing. Get away from the stage. Stand near a speaker. Close your eyes.
Caves are currently touring along the East Coast in anticipation of their forthcoming EP, Face the Wall. They have previously released Here Is Vision and A Year of Magic. For more on the group, check out their MySpace.
