Bands Of Nyc

PHOTOS: MARTYNKA WAWRZYNIAK

Shot in Economy Candy Market on Rivington Street in Lower Manhattan (l-r): Erik Ratensperger, Uniqlo shirt, Fremont sweater, Levi’s jeans; Wade Oates, APC jeans, aNYthing socks, Converse shoes; Donald Cumming, Lacoste sweater, WESC jeans; Nick Ackerman, Levi’s jeans

e think they would be better named Band of Babes, but whatever. The Virgins have been together for all of 20 minutes and yet have already managed to tour Europe, open for Patti Smith, sign to a major label, and get their genteel young faces all over the “blogosphere.” All of this, believe it or not, is well deserved. The Virgins play lovely poppy gems in which you can find equal measures of Pavement and Squeeze. We’re jealous of their future, basically.

 

(l-r): Jon Nicholson, Claw Money sunglasses, Surface 2 Air shirt; Dan Hougland, Lacoste shirt, Stussy jacket; Nathan Corbin, Ben Sherman shirt, Le Tigre hoodie; John Fell Ryan, Gap shirt, Stussy jacket

Excepter are from the same circle of New York musicians as Gang Gang Dance and Animal Collective, but they take a lot more ecstasy and they are kind of techno. Now, listen, countless worthless music critics like to talk about how techno is really, really important… But come on. Most of it’s shit. It’s when it’s taken to a dark and wonderful place, like the way Excepter does, that the techno thing gets good. Throw in a bit of Popol Vuh, a little touch of what the Butthole Surfers were like live when they were scary, and you’re getting close to what Excepter is: Pretty fucking awesome.
 

(l-r): Matthew Thurber, Stussy jacket, Meltin’ Pot jeans; Peter Schuette, American Apparel t-shirt, Calvin Klein sweater, Evisu jeans; Avi Cohen, Cockpit shirt, DKNY jacket, Surface 2 Air jeans

Soiled Mattress and the Springs play jazz. Seriously. And it isn’t free-jazz wankery that anyone with ADD can at least convincingly fake. These three guys play honest-to-goodness jazz using drums, sax, and an organ. “But wait,” you’re saying, “jazz sucks.” Yes, it does—when it’s full of noodly meanderings and unnecessary tempo changes. But when it’s solo-free and chock-a-block with genuine riffs, sunny vibes, and soulful, effortless playing, it’s great. And that’s what Soiled Mattress and the Springs are. Fuck, we like jazz again.