[Photo by Sarah Cass]

By Aaron Richter

As we all know by now, new releases hit record-store shelves and digital-download services each Tuesday. That’s why self-titled presents the following every week: a new release you’d be stupid not to own (Buy It), one worth checking out if you’re the curious type (Burn It) and something you might have heard about but probably should avoid (Skip It). Simple, ain’t it?
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CMJ does not care for The CMJ Virgin. Apparently.

And now, The CMJ Virgin presents a brief history of success and failure: Arriving at Bowery Ballroom for a showcase of bands no one cares about, our Virgin is informed that no more CMJ badges are allowed inside (fail). Hitting Mercury Lounge to catch another band no one cares about, the Virgin discovers it will be an hour before any more badges are allowed in the venue (fail). Strolling past a Stones Throw showcase, V-Money sours at the 200-plus line outside (fail). Discouraged, he hails a cab with self-titled Editor-in-Chief Andrew Parks and heads back to the CMJ Artists Lounge (where he caught shows the day prior). No line. Small crowd. (Success!) Sets by Women and Takka Takka there are worth the trip. The Women guys look bored (or maybe just tired), and Takka Takka transforms songs from Migration into dynamic, earnest and emotive catharsis. Out the door and off to Santos for Free Blood. No line. Small crowd. Best set yet of CMJ (success). 

To summarize: The CMJ Virgin is confused. What’s the point of buying a CMJ batch if it doesn’t give you access to all the shows? Why are showcases that are populated with awful bands full while sets by good bands are sparsely attended? Does the CMJ Virgin just have really bad taste? Does the rest of the CMJ-going public know something our precious Virgin does not? How angry would he be had he actually paid for his badge? And most importantly, what do you think of Andrew’s new glasses?

Read The CMJ Virgin’s notes from the evening and see a few photos he snapped after the jump.

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[Photo by Jason Frank Rothenberg]

By Aaron Richter

Maybe it was the bass (which just about ruptured our ear drums and jostled our stomachs into fits of woozy delight). But when self-titled caught a performance by percussion-clattered Brooklyn dance duo Free Blood at Santos Party House a few weeks past, we found ourselves smitten. There’s no doubt that the deafeningly sick speaker setup at Santos was the bright red cherry on top of the duo’s playfully soulful and danceably grimey performance as a four-piece, but the fairly minimal songs—shambled in appearance, yet remarkably catchy—hold up just as well outside of the club.

Free Blood, which first grew its legs way back in 2003, is ex-!!! guy John Pugh (he’s the tall handsome dude, who sang lead on “Dear Can”) and fashion designer Madeline Davy (of NYC label Octopi). Both share lead vocal duties.

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FREE BLOOD: VHS or beta style

With so many parties vying for your precious time (and dwindling budget) this summer, self-titled is determined to find out who’s ruling the night these days. That way you can make a more educated decision the next time an evening calls for dancing with someone other than yourself.

And this past weekend’s contenders were …

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