Author Archives: Ariane Trahan

For you New Orleanians in need of a one-night break from the Mardi Gras Mambo, skip the Krewe d’Etat tonight and make a stop into Siberia. Amen Dunes, yet another New Yorker making his rounds in the south, is performing alongside atmospheric post-rock outfit, This Will Destroy You.

I sympathize with Amen Dunes, the solo project of Damon McMahon, who at one point felt so caught up in the NYC music scene he had to escape the city to find a sense of freedom in his music (see, DIA). In 2011 he released Through Donkey Jaw, marking his eventual return to New York.

Uploading it to my ipod, I see why my editor forwarded it to me. Psychedelic experimentation and meandering vocals at their best, the opening track “Baba Yaga” whets your appetite for music that is abrasive in a strangely affable way.

Read More »

Some of the best times I had while living in NYC were at Black Taxi shows. They were a promised party. I would show up solo knowing I would find friends at the venue.

Since performing at my debut CMJ showcase, they’ve ripened to damn near perfection and are now touring extensively—barraging new fans with hyper energy, consistently arresting choruses, and renowned danceability.

In 2010 I threw them on a bill for Foburg. Having never played New Orleans before, they owned it as if this was their backyard. Their sound and vigor grabbed the attention of passersby, so much so that we had to stop letting people in the door. It was a madhouse, and one I was happy to be in the middle of.

Read More »

I missed their debut performance at 2010′s Foburg music festival. I caught chunks of their set at Saturn Bar when they followed Man/Miracle (remember that entertaining post?) Friday I got another chance to bask in the mellow-ish sounds of local lovelies, Vox and the Hound. Where southern subtleties seesaw with folk-friendly psychedelia and modern indie – their first EP Hermosa (Jan., 2011) is somehow music ideally matched to all four seasons.

With dozens of shows behind them and pre-production underway for a second album, the good ole’ boys of Vox And The Hound had a drink with me in the backyard of Carrollton Station, complete with heavy humidity and spilled drinks.

Our players tonight are Leo DeJesus (Vocals/Guitar/Percussion), D Ray (Keys/Trombone/Vocals), Rory Callais (Guitar/Vocals), Andrew Jarman (Bass/Vocals), and Eric Rogers (Drums).

Let’s get down to brass tacks. I loved Hermosa, which you recorded at Living Room Studio. Looking back on that process, size up your experience in the last year with all the new songwriting.

Rogers: With Hermosa we wanted to get a very raw, very organic sound and with that studio it’s a big open room. It’s an old church. It made it very earthy. In contrast with the next record we’re kind of taking a leap forward from that. It’s gonna be more, not synthetic…

Read More »

During last week’s rainy Tuesday, I took to the streets for a meeting with the leader of Little Maker, a newer ensemble of local players reminiscent of a classic 60′s rock band. At our scheduled time I arrived at One Eyed Jacks to find Micah McKee sitting at the corner of the bar, settled in with some of his bandmates. He’s wearing a rather dapper Japanese vintage coat, legs crossed, sipping on a High Life. I introduce myself and ask about his previous interviewing experiences. He agrees they had all seemed somewhat short and contrived.

“That’s because a lot of interviewers are boring people. Not to say that they’re boring as individuals, but it’s just their job and they ask a lot of the same vague questions that have nothing to do with my mindset. But I don’t expect anyone to know what that is.”

This does not intimidate me at all.

Little Maker – Hiawatha

You say that New Orleans is your mother, and Brooklyn your mistress. What did you mean by that?

I’ve been all over with the cause of trying to make something happen but have always had New Orleans as my home base. There’s so much to do here, and so much that can be done. That’s what keeps bringing me back. I haven’t accomplished nearly what I want to accomplish in New Orleans.

Read More »

“Oh, baby – if you like to cut loose, we can kick it like high heel leather boots.” Following a familiar drum lead-in and painfully likable guitar riffs, the opening lines to Baby Bee’s release Drop It Like a Bomb, conjure up the sights and sounds of both classic rock and dirty southern blues.

Baby Bee – Tambourine

Stemming from the now defunct Sons Of William, Joe and David Stark of Houma, Louisiana (yes, this is now the second and a half band I’ve written about from Houma) caught my eye within the first few seconds of a performance they nailed at Eiffel Society. I remember not having a drink in my hand yet and wanting to rush the stage and dance to this fun sound: a guitar strumming with swagger through three amps for added dimension. Having only played for around six months, Baby Bee pulled off that show as if they were playing an arena of 10,000 people.

Read More »

TVD Contributor Ariane Trahan is the founder of Easy Apple, an artist development company that bridges the gap for musicians between New York City and New Orleans. 

After traveling 1,300 miles, along with a packed schedule the first two days, getting to a morning panel was rough. In comes “Next Generation of A&R Executives.” Like a lot of panels I went to, the room was flooded with young sponges, every seat filled. People lined up against the wall, sitting on the floor with their notebooks and ipads.

Moderated by Fuse TV’s Allison Hagendorf, the truth was unveiled for all A&R hopefuls: if you want to get a job as a rep for a label, start your own label. Though the objective of Artist & Repertoire remains the same, the process of how a rep does her job and the role the artist plays in securing a rep have come a long way.

Read More »

TVD Contributor Ariane Trahan is the founder of Easy Apple, an artist development company that bridges the gap for musicians between New York City and New Orleans. 

Thanks to The Vinyl District, I’m in NYC at this year’s CMJ Music Marathon. New business cards, mini recorder for interviews, planner and laptop in hand – all of my invaluable possessions are with me. Day one at CMJ was mainly traveling for me, with the night ending at the official showcase I co-curated.

This year Easy Apple partnered with Engine Room Recordings to host a night of our recent projects. I presented Shayfer James, whose forthcoming release Counterfeit Arcade is currently playing (loudly) at college radio. I also brought along New Orleans’ own The Revivalists, whose high-powered performance was chosen to close our event at 1am! Engine Room Recordings presented NYC staples Lowry who coincidentally have a stop in New Orleans planned for February on their upcoming tour.

Read More »

TVD Contributor Ariane Trahan is the founder of Easy Apple, an artist development company that bridges the gap for musicians between New York City and New Orleans. 

Just eight days before the 31st annual CMJ Music Marathon hits the streets of New York City, the schedule of the day panels is released, displaying an overwhelming but impressive line-up of discussions. Personally, I would love to catch every panel, but with hundreds of music showcases making for very late nights, keeping up with 10am panel discussions for five days straight is not the most appealing thing in the world. Allow me to steer you in the direction of a few worthy forums, leading with what I see as the most intriguing discussion of the marathon.

One can argue that in 2011 the use of existing and future technology still holds everyone’s attention. How does Spotify affect music consumption? What does icloud offer for the storage and sharing of music? How do you connect with your audience using mobile apps? Enter a new topic of interest: Australia.

Read More »

TVD Contributor Ariane Trahan is the founder of Easy Apple, an artist development company that bridges the gap for musicians between New Orleans (the Easy) and New York City (the Apple).

On the eighth stop of their first national tour, Oakland’s Man/Miracle do it up big in New Orleans. Playing with local darlings, Vox And The Hound, staying out until 4am with yours truly, and really appreciating the unabashed nightlife the city finds pleasure in offering her guests. During their one-night-stand, Tyler, Dylan, and Emery were amazed by the public consumption laws, intrigued by the mold-infested broken-down chandelier in Saturn Bar, and gratified by the famous jambalaya at Coop’s Place. And yes, they were forced to wait in line outside during tropical storm Lee, just like the rest of us!

I discovered Man/Miracle after my former colleague, Dawson (who now works for NoisePop) emailed me about how killer their set was at the NoisePop festival. I had a few email exchanges with the band about working with them, but eventually got blown off. I never take these things personal, and here’s why:

Ariane: Are you guys a staple at the venue Popscene in San Francisco?

Travis: Ok, so our first year playing Noise Pop, Aaron Axelson came up to us after djing our show. He was like, “I think you guys are fantastic! I wanna play your song on LIVE 105.” I had no idea what Live 105 was. He bought a CD, kept hitting us up, and I don’t remember ever responding. And then everyone was like, “Dude, you just passed up this huge opportunity!”

Ariane: So you never responded, and that was the end of that?

Travis: I mean, we met him a couple other times and he was like, “Yeah yeah, whatever.”

Read More »