Monitoring pre-CMJ tweets, people were apprehensive about the lack of big buzz bands on the roster. I had low-grade concerns that the talent would be as flimsy as this year’s badge lanyard, but fully believe that CMJ doesn’t need bands already anointed with big label approval. Two years ago The xx played seemingly a hundred shows when they didn’t really need to, since they were already branded stars. Not exactly underground.
And while bands don’t remain undiscovered in New York all that long, CMJ is by far the best opportunity to find diamonds in the rough. It’s all so concentrated. Talking with publisher Jen last week, we decided that if you just parked your ass at Pianos all week, you’d probably hear everything you needed to and more. (Read the article)
In February, the spoken word artist and musician Gil Scott-Heron released his first album in 13 years entitled I’m New Here. A year later, Scott-Heron and Jamie Smith from The xx have collaborated to create the reworked We’re New Here, with Smith taking 13 of the original tracks to create a collection of remixes.
The album is out February 21st, 2011 on vinyl and in a box set and the first single ‘NY is Killing Me’ has just been released.
9-22 Los Angeles, CA – Hollywood Palladium
9-23 Oakland, CA – Fox Theatre
9-25 Seattle, WA – Paramount Theatre
9-29 Toronto, ONT – Massey Hall
10-1 Montreal, QUE – Place Des Arts Maissoneuve
10-2 New York, NY – United Palace
10-4 Philadelphia, PA – Merriam Theater
10-5 Washington, DC – 9:30 Club
10-6 Atlanta, GA – Taberbacle
10-9 Dallas, TX – Granada Theater
