Rockwood Music Hall CMJ Showcase: 10-19-11

by Carolyn Delvalle

Three bands I came across on accident literally because I ended up at the wrong stage. I don’t regret it though because these bands were pretty darn good. First up was the Jacob Jeffries Band (what a name). How many people get to name bands after themselves? The South Florida natives certainly captivated the audience with their music and instrumental prowess. Jacob Jeffries started playing the piano about the age of 5 years old & writing music by the age of 10. They have been together since 2006 playing various venues through out the U.S. including the highly acclaimed SXSW. At first listen they reminded me of some of Hanson’s later material. I was pretty impressed with the vocals of Jacob & how the piano gelled with his voice so seamlessly. It was refreshing to also see that they are really nice down to earth guys. A good kickoff to the beginning of my first CMJ experience.

The second band was Hawthorne, an indie folk americana band from NYC. This is not exactly the genre of music I’d look for when checking out a band but I was pleasantly surprised. The best way to describe them musically would be a modern presence that is deeply rooted in the past. As each song goes by, it just takes you back to simpler times while conveying how they feel about today’s society. At various times through their set, some members of the band transitioned between instruments & vocals flawlessly which was a nice touch. Their sense of humor put the set over the top especially when encouraging people to find them online but not via Google since the emo band Hawthorne Heights would come up first. The kicker being their admission of liking them. Overall, their music is a mix of jazz and country folk which I recommend checking out if you are looking for something different.

The last band I checked out was The Wildbirds. After a couple of songs, I wondered if I was viewing the right stage as I really came to see Jenny Owen Youngs & to be honest, I could not wait for this band to be finished. I did not just walk out on this 5 piece band as I tried to keep an open mind. However I just did not care for neither their vocals or instrumentation. While they seemed to have a lot of people there to see them, I question why as they were not that good. They are a band I would never willingly see. Different strokes for different folks I guess.

Although I pretty much missed all of Jenny Owen Youngs set as she was playing on Stage 2, I had a few good drinks and an interesting experience nonetheless.