Don't You Love The Brooklyn Music Scene?

TV On The Radio

Nerds hide your synthesizers and Talking Heads albums, TV On The Radio is in the building. It’s hard not to like the guys that make David Bowie’s Low seem like the Bible. Formed in 2001 as a hobby, TVOTR started in the fabled hipster haven Williamsburg, back when real people still lived there. After three years of on again, off again status and a killer EP, they broke ground with 2004’s Desperate Youth, Bloodthirsty Babes. As two subsequant albums have followed (the brooding Return To Cookie Mountain and the infectious Dear Science), they’ve become the indie darlings you still may or may not have heard of. Electronic, raw, and with a bit of snarl, they’ve still managed to become one of the two biggest names out of Brooklyn.

A.R.E. Weapons

These guys didn’t exactly come across as humble on the post-punk documentary Kill Your Idols, but then again: aren’t all good rock stars jerks? A.R.E. Weapons luckily have the bite to back up their bark. Call them what you want: noise, electronic, metal – they’re definitely some weird amalgamation of those three. More aggressive and gritty than a band like TVOTR, A.R.E. Weapons have been flying on the indie radar for a while. They’re still looking to break-out, but don’t think they’re starving, either. Among their fans and connections – Jarvis Crocker from Pulp and the guy that invented the Zune.

O'Death

The clang of broken cymbals. The squeaks of banjos and old fiddles. And the howl – that howl – of lead singer Greg Jamie that rings through the Brooklyn night like something out of the Dust Bowl. Say hi to O’Death, Brooklyn’s resident Reconstructionist bluegrass-punk forebearers. I saw these guys a year ago at Studio B and their opener set still sits with me as one of the best I’ve ever seen. Over the last year, they’ve gained impressive momentum through-out the indie scene, but still won’t be making an MTV debut anytime soon. It’s no real worry, their fans still love them. If you’ve ever wondered what a frentic tent revival hoedown is like, catch a show by these guys.

Yeasayer

Does it sound like Yes meets The Talking Heads meets that no-name ‘60s band? Then you can bet it’s Yeasayer. Emerging behind their contemporaries MGMT, Yeasayer has become noted for their simple, yet lush sound that has already caught the ears of the talent scouts at Late Night With Conan O’Brien. They remind me of the music you listen to when it’s summer and you’re dancing at daybreak in a cornfield. Whatever your listening preference, they can definitely hit the right notes for anyone who’s still waiting on the next Peter Gabriel album.

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MGMT

Dance-synth seemed to die a quiet death at some point in 1989. Then, its corpse was dug up and dragged through the mud during the late ‘90s (thanks Orgy). Would this poppy, fluffy sound ever get the same gravitas back that Joy Division endowed? Enter 2008 darlings MGMT with three singles that’ll make you go “Oh, wait! That’s that song from that ad on TV!” Yes, MGMT has been enjoying mainstream success thanks to the power of mass media. But they’re not just another dance band. Meditations on youth culture and the shallowness of W.‘s Glamerica undercut some of their debut album’s best cuts. Yes, they dress like rejected extras from the movie Encino Man, but trust me, they’re worth a listen.

Yeah Yeah Yeahs

Easily the OTHER Brooklyn band you’ve heard about. Yeah Yeah Yeahs worked their way up, channeling the classic punk sound of New York and putting one of the sexiest frontwomen behind the mike. They’ve never been anything fancy, which is one of the reasons everyone will remember them. YYYs are just good, old-fashioned rock and roll – a three-piece band that plays hard riffs and sings even harder lyrics about love, hurt, relationships, and hating your ex. In most interviews, Karen O is often downright and honest about the band: they are not trying to change the world. Maybe that’s what makes them so awesome.

Beer To Music To

It’s true that alcohol can make a concert fun. It’s also true that it can make a bad concert tolerable. Keep an eye out for a few of these standards at your next outing.

Getting There