Ballroom Jacks

Ballroom Jacks

Indie rock band, Ballroom Jacks went on at 10pm at Wicked Willy’s and put on a jaw dropping show, cracking the wall of conventional rock with an aesthetic new wave, mixing Phoenix, Bob Dylan, Oasis and Will Arland's voice somewhat similar to Kings of Leon's singer, Caleb Followill. Brothers Will and Ben Arland rounded out the band back in 2010 with drummer ConorMcGlone. Ballroom Jacks has an undeniable twang to their music, sharp uptempo drums, ignited lyrics and to top it all off, they weren’t too bad to look at either. It was fun to get to talk to Ballroom Jacks and their manager after the show, they are an interesting group of people with so much personality, they will have another show on Friday at Leftfield’s Bar in the lower east side. Check them out. - The Deli Magazine

While brothers may argue and their personalities can appear to be miles apart, they often comprehend each other better than most people.

When that sense of understanding is used to work towards the same goal, those individuals have a distinct advantage. This is the case for Ballroom Jacks. BallroomJacks2

Ballroom Jacks is an alternative rock and roll band based in Astoria. The group is composed of Will Arland (singer/guitarist), Ben Arland (bass) and Conor McGlone (drums). While the two Arlands have been writing together for a few years, the addition of McGlone helped the band to really come together.

“I had been writing songs since I was 17, then Ben and I started playing in our parents’ garage in high school,” Will said. “Ben and I started playing with Conor in 2009, but we started calling ourselves Ballroom Jacks after a month of playing in the garage in 2006.”

While being in a band with a sibling is tough sometimes, Will said their work is helped out by the fact that all three of the band members have the same vision for their music.

“It has ups and downs, we argue constantly, but at the same time, we are really on the same wavelength, all three of us are actually,” he said. “But with all the back and forth, it allows you not to have to tip-toe around each other so our work can develop in a way that’s uninhibited.”

That work has developed into a sound similar to the band’s influences, a mix of 1980s new wave, 1960s girl groups and Phil Spector’s Wall of Sound. Whether it is in the studio or onstage, the band enjoys the process of sharing these tunes with their audience.

“We really look forward to playing our music for people who are right in front of us, that’s the feeling we chase after,” Will said. “But it’s really romantic to think that what you are recording will be experienced by someone on their headphones when they are going to work, or in their bedrooms.”

Based in Astoria, the neighborhood is where Ballroom Jacks finished its first EP, giving the band members a strong connection with the area. As they are immersed in the community, Will said it is tough to tell what impact it has had on the band, but at the very least, it has offered them the opportunity to play showcases like the CMJ Music Marathon.

“We feel really lucky to have two showcases and that so many people come out to see rock and roll music and everything else,” Will said.

Ballroom Jacks will be playing at Arlene’s Grocery in Manhattan on Oct. 25 and Meade’s Pub on Oct. 29. Keep an eye out for a new EP and possibly a Christmas song in the coming months. - Queens Tribune

Zimmer 4 36
mit Ruben Jonas Schnell
New York von A bis D
So 14:00-15:00
Zimmer 4 36
SENDUNG VOM 10.02.2013

Nachhören

Heute übt Ruben Jonas Schnell das Buchstabieren musikalischer Neuheiten aus dem Big Apple.

Seine Inspiration und Quelle seiner Neuentdeckungen: das CMJ Festival in New York.
Mit seinen 1300 Bands im Line-Up bietet das fünftägige Musikevent ausreichend Erkundungsgebiet.
Aus diesem Grund sind heute im Zimmer 4 36 fast ausschließlich Künstler des CMJ Festivals 2012 zu hören.

Von Ava Luna über Baauer, Ballroom Jacks, Butter The Children bis zu Caged Animals (siehe Foto) und der Ausnahme, die die Regel der Neuentdeckungen bestätigt, den Dum Dum Girls. - www.byte.fm

VHS or Beta came back east to play Boston and the band’s home city of New York to conclude the 2012 George Killian’s Irish Red Ruckus tour. For more than a month VHS or Beta has played cities across the country with amazing local bands, and sharing a cold Irish Red with fans and friends.

In Boston, fans poured into legendary concert venue Middle East Downstairs where greeted by the sounds of local rock band The Fatal Flaw. For information about The Fatal Flaw, visit: https://www.facebook.com/TheFatalFlaw

Fans packed the Mercury Lounge in New York city to hear three local bands. Ballroom Jacks and Linfinity brought a unique sound to the stage before VHS or Beta rocked the room of more than 250 fans. Check out music and videos from Ballroom Jacks and Linfinity click here: http://www.linfinitymusic.com/ and http://www.ballroomjacks.com/

What an awesome tour! Thanks to all the fans who came out to enjoy every show! - http://ruckusblog.wordpress.com

Best Case For CMJ Sleeper Status: Ballroom Jacks (@ Wicked Willy’s)

I’m buying the ticket. Taking the ride. Drinking the Kool-Aid. This Queens quartet is phenomenal. I saw them play an unfortunately-situated stage at Wicked Willy’s, but they took off and left it behind from the first note, launching into classic, ‘60s-style pop/rock with a bit of an ‘80s overlay -- think the shimmering, reverb-heavy guitar sounds of The Smiths draped over streamlined Motown tunes. Combine that with lead singer/guitarist Will Arland’s and his brother/bassist Ben’s infectious vocal interplay and the result was an incredibly tight, confident, and loud performance worthy of at least Webster Hall. The seeming simplicity of their songs made their wonderful melodies, elevated bridges, and perfectly-paced vocals all the more effective, and I swear I heard a bona fide pop hit at one point, replete with in-your-face hooks and a dynamic chord progression. I even asked them afterwards what the name of this hit might be and they didn’t even have a name for it yet. Isn't that the very definition of sleeper potential! - www.cultivora.com

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 24TH, local NYC darlings BALLROOM JACKS bring their wall of sound & new wave-inspired rock to THE BOWERY ELECTRIC, alongside the bluesy Americana of THE SLIM KINGS and the stratospheric, beautiful indie rock of Australia's HAILER at THE BOWERY ELECTRIC! - Event2me.com

Best Indie Rock Band: Ballroom Jacks
Fun songs, denim jackets, and sometimes they even cover Madonna. They have a sound I had in my head for weeks. Love these guys.
http://www.ballroomjacks.com

- L Rock Entertainment

The first wave of artists to be performing during Canadian Music Week next year has been announced! The Canadian Music Festival, taking place in Toronto during March, will be welcoming more than 1000 music acts from Canada and around the world - both emerging and established.

Featured showcases include performances by Rihanna, Nick Cave and the Black Seeds, Efterklang, Ron Sexmith, Lindsey Stirling and Matt Dusk. For the full list of artists, check out www.canadianmusicfest.com; all artists who applied for showcase positions will be notified by January 15, 2013.

Here's a sample of the artists you can look forward to!

A$AP ROCKY
AMANDA MERZDAN
ANGEL AT MY TABLE
BALLROOM JACKS
BLACKCHORDS
COLOUR COLOUR - theaureview.com

Another edition of Canadian Musicfest (the music showcase component of Canadian Music Week) quietly kicked off yesterday evening but it gets into full gear tonight. I've gone through the list of artists, skimming bios, listening to audio, checking out videos, what-have-you, and have cobbled together a long list of artists that I found interesting, both from abroad, and from our own fair country / city. On a side note, I must mention that the whole process of 'researching' who I might be interested in seeing is an entirely un-fun experience - it's long, boring, and tiring - but in the end it pays off. Like the Boy Scouts motto goes - be prepared. I've also learned there's an inordinate amount of folk / roots acts taking part in the festival, so many that I almost want to strangle someone, but that's another story. There is no way in heck I'm going to catch all of these artists - I haven't even gotten around to laying out an actual schedule, and I already know there's some overlap with some of my picks. Most of the picks below are artists I've never even heard, and the buzz-factor of bands playing this festival is much lower compared to Toronto's own North By Northeast (which happens in June) but traditionally I've taken this as an opportunity to try to discover new music and hopefully keep the stink quotient to a minimum. Be sure to check out my picks below as well as the individual artist sites where there are audio / video samples:

Ballroom Jacks (New York City, New York)
Friday March 22, 2013 @ 10:00PM, Annex Live

Scruffy trio from the streets of New York City (Queens that is) playing music that medls "1960's American girl groups, Phil Spector's Wall of Sound, and the aesthetic of new wave 80's music" in a not so unappealing way. - milgon08.blogspot.com

Indie, indie... what an exquisite word! These days so many bands call themselves "indie rock" even if they sound nothing like indie rock (before we ranked this category we had to filter out all the songwriters and straight rock bands who tried to re-brand themselves as "indie" - WE CAUGHT YOU!). Of course, the word originates from "independent" - not "Indian" like your clueless friends often assume - but it's been used since the 80's to describe "non-mainstream" rock music (and record labels). Think tense and/or dark and/or experimental-ish mostly guitar based rock. Needless to say, in the late aughts Indie became huge, and many NYC bands (paradoxically signed to majors) like Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Interpol had a crucial role in bringing this genre to the masses.

Total submissions in this category: 45

Artists Qualified to the Poll's Next Stage (starting around 01.10):

1. Conveyor - 7.83 (out of 10)
2. ARMS - 7.66
2. Modern Rivals - 7.66

Honorable Mentions (above 7 out of 10):

Stone Cold Fox, These Animals, Wild International, Ballroom Jacks, No Shoes, Dear Comrade, ILLUMNTR, Their Planes Will Block Out The Sun

Jurors: Gracie Gutman (Deli SF), Jason Behrends (Deli Chicago), Lucy Sherman (Deli Seattle)

The Deli's Staff - thedeli NYC

I used to be a music writer. Worked for Northwestern's college music radio station -- for the campus as a whole and in my dorm. I was married to a musician and sound guy. My last roommate worked for Filter. I know music pretty well. But CMJ? I don't know dick about.

Thank God for Jessica Delfino. She's like Flight of the Conchords if Flight of the Conchords were a sexy chick who would cut a bitch.

She combines two of my favorite things in the world (which probably shouldn't go together but somehow she manages it): music and comedy. (She also introduces me to magical witches like Dame Darcy, but that's just a bonus. And she found her badass fiancee on Craiglist. Amazing.)

She dragged me out of the hot mess of my life in Long Island City (I still have to move in two weeks but I found a place! in Bushwick! no more wallowing! and I haven't been smoking! or slutting it up! go me!) to check out the Little Green Cars and Daughter showcase at Slipper Room last night. I immediately had an ear-gasm when I heard both bands as it's exactly the shit I like: music that makes me feel and has a sense of urgency. That's all I look for in music. It could be Jay-Z. It could be the most pretentious indie shit ever written. If it evokes something in me, I'm a goner.

When I bugged Jessica for how to get into any of the shows (something she excels at) she shared a few of her secrets and also told me which acts are the next Arcade Fire or Surfer Blood (two acts to blow up out of CMJ) that she's heard industry rumblings about or checked out herself.

"Local Natives crushed it at their surprise late-night show at the Bowery Ballroom," she said. "Alex Winston was on fire, Ballroom Jacks might be the sleeper of CMJ. Hank and Cupcakes were good. The Indecent were pretty fucking decent, and St. Lucia I also liked."

So I know none of these bands, but I didn't know Surfer Blood before she told me about them so I trust this lady.

image

In the throes of the Little Green Cars showcase. (I did not try to get her to make out with me.)
As for her show, it's actually kind of a big deal in that it's the first time CMJ will ever feature a comedy music showcase. It will be at a venue I really like (and once moderated a panel for the New York Comedy Festival for, and had a blast doing) over at Upright Citizen's Brigade Theatre East at 153 East 3rd Street at 7 p.m.

"We were able to get into the festival because of the success of the NY Funny Songs Fest last year that I think we were able to slip into CMJ this year," she says. "We're also doing a show in the NY Comedy Festival, another first for comedy music and big festivals. It's been a good year for NYC comedy musicians. I'm expecting some VIP comedy industry type people, and the best-case scenario? We get a TV show out of this show. The worst-case scenario? We play an awesome show to a full room of cool people who are as disgusting, fun and honestly open to the fuckedupedness of life as we are."

Oh, and her best tip for getting into CMJ parties that you're not on the list for?

"I have two God-given gifts," Jessica says. "One is the gift of music -- I can play any instrument, I can memorize and repeat a song melody in five seconds. My other is the gift of gaining admittance to any party in the world, ever, anywhere, any time. Of course there is always a way for people to get into parties and shows if they're not doing the festival. The parties, honestly, are probably where most of the real deal record business shit goes down, not in sweaty rooms full of hipsters Insta-G-ing everything. Where there's a will, there's a way. The tools I use are a good outfit, a good-looking friend and a vote of self-confidence never hurt. As a back up, have a name to drop. They are key factors in breaking in to any good party."

image

She's not a member of Soho House. But she gets in, yo.
What I love most about Jessica is her total satirization of musical Jewel-style zombie convention bullshit.

Or as she puts it, "I have mixed feeling about music because I feel like so many of every kind of song has already been written. I'm really into dub step and bro step right now about five years late because I'm from Maine so I'm naturally behind on everything because that shit sounds weird and freaky and different to me, and if I never hear another 'You belong to me' or 'Why aren't you with me' or 'Where did you go' or 'I love you' muttered in another song, I'll be OK with that."

Check out her new video below, and you'll see exactly what I'm talking about -- and maybe see you at 7 p.m. tonight -- get your tickets early - www.xojane.com

This week in New York is held the CMJ Festival… I wish I could listen to the looooooong line-up but I only had the courage of listening to the A and B bands! And believe me I spent hours… but I promise I’ll listen to the rest soon :)

Here are some Youtube, Bandcamp or Soundcloud links to listen to the bands which I’ve been considered to share with you

Ace Reporter: Youtube Bandcamp
Admiral Fallow: Youtube Bandcamp
Air Traffic Controller: Youtube Bandcamp Soundcloud
Alex & Janel: Youtube
Alex Winston: Youtube Bandcamp Soundcloud
Alfonso Velez (AV): Bandcamp
Alvarez Kings: Youtube
Ambassadors: Youtube Bandcamp
American royalty: Youtube Bandcamp Soundcloud
Ape School: Bandcamp
Arcs: Soundcloud
Arthur Beatrice: Youtube Soundcloud
Aunt Martha: Youtube Soundcloud
Autumn Owls: Bandcamp

Ballroom Jacks: Bandcamp
Beacon: Bandcamp Soundcloud
Bearstronaut: Bandcamp Soundcloud
Bern & the Brights: Bandcamp
Bess Rogers: Youtube Bandcamp
Big Scary: Youtube Bandcamp Soundcloud
Blessed Feathers: Soundcloud
Blonde summer: Youtube Bandcamp Soundcloud
BLONDS: Youtube Bandcamp
Bloodnstuff: Youtube Soundcloud
Born Ruffians: Youtube Soundcloud
Bouts: Bandcamp
BRAINSTORM: Bandcamp
Brick + Mortar: Youtube Bandcamp Soundcloud
BRODKA: Youtube



Hope you’ll enjoy it… Don’t hesitate to write a comment about what you heard, watched, what you loved and what you hated… - http://www.eclectictraxxx.com

Back in 2011, NME dubbed the Vaccines’ debut album as “The Return of the Great British Guitar Band.” While the validity of this statement is debatable, it’s undeniable that bands like the Vaccines and the Drums have heralded a movement of young, guitar heavy, British 1960’s-influenced bands that are catchy but substantial. They’re carrying on from where the Arctic Monkeys left off in the mid 2000’s. I’m an ardent listener and follower of this movement, and the Ballroom Jacks’ EP Do the Wolf Paw Waltz fits snugly next to my Crocodiles, Girls, the Big Pink, and Twin Shadow records. Rock n’ Roll ain’t dead quite yet, kids.



I had the pleasure of sitting down and talking with Ben Arland, the Ballroom Jacks’ bassist, a few days before Christmas break. I’m kind of surprised he had time for it: Ben is studying a combination of Marketing, at the Gabelli Business School, and Art History. We rescheduled our meeting once for his class-related MoMa trip, and he ran off to the Met right after we finished interview. Arland hails from northern Connecticut, but currently commutes to Fordham from Sunnyside, Queens. He flipped out (in a totally good way) when I showed him a picture of me having a beer with Peter Singer and expressed his concerns about the overwhelming corruption in the FDA’s regulation of America’s industrial farming industry. Ben was self conscious about sounding like a conspiracy theorist, but I told him I was a vegetarian because of my own fears regarding industrial farming. He admitted that he should be vegetarian, but enjoyed the glorious beauty of a steak too much. He’s that kind of guy.



So it’s pretty obvious that in the past few years there have been a lot of debuts of British influenced bands that focus on guitar riffs. The Drums, for example. Would you consider the Ballroom Jacks part of that movement?
Yes, I would. Definitely. I think it’s an amazing movement that heightens the importance of the guitar band, a genre that I think hasn’t received a lot of respect in the past. There’s a simplicity to the music. It’s rock n’ roll, but there’s this focus on the construction of a pop song. I mean, what the Vaccines can do with three chords is just amazing. It’s simple, but not without meaning.

Dude–I. Love. The. Vaccines.



[Omitted: 10 minutes of geeking out about the Vaccines.]



You’re in the Ballroom Jacks with your brother. Do you come from a very musical family?
Not at all! Neither of my parents play instruments, but they did have great taste in music. I grew up on a lot of the Beatles and Motown records.

What instruments do you play and how did you learn to play?
I can play the bass and the guitar. I’m self-taught in both, but I did take piano lessons when I was younger.

What bands and musicians have influenced the Ballroom Jacks the most?
We’re influenced a lot by Phil Spector’s sound and 1960’s girl groups.

Really? That’s interesting. Not something I would have guessed. What have you been listening to lately?
Well, I’m always listening to the Arctic Monkeys, Glasvegas, and the Clash. Man, I love the Clash.

I literally wake up every morning to the Clash’s “Bankrobber.” Like for real. Do you listen to anything outside the indie/rock/punk genre?
Yeah, definitely! I really like electronic music. Grimes is great. She makes really great, quality electronic music. Bad electronic music is so easy to make. Anyone with a computer can do it, but when someone like Grimes does it well with such great subtlety and artistry, it sounds like a symphony. Cults is great too. I can listen to their album all the way through.

So you really like female vocals, huh? Cults, Grimes, 60’s girl groups…
Uh, well, I haven’t really thought about it, but, yeah, I guess I do. I do really love the Supremes.

Cool. The Supremes are pretty great. So how often do the Ballroom Jacks play around the city?
Around 2-3 times a month. We mostly play venues around the Lower East Side and Brooklyn. We’ve played at Arlene’s Grocery, the Knitting Factory, the National Underground, and even Jersey. We did a show in Passaic. You’re from Jersey, right?

I’m from Passaic County.
Is that the same thing? I always drive through Jersey, but I literally know nothing about Jersey.

Oh, boy. Passaic is the city where white suburban kids from my high school bought weed. It’s, uh, kind of dangerous.
Yeah, I guess it was pretty sketchy, but awesome.

Haha, awesome. Sure. Traveling to Jersey and doing a few shows a month must be time consuming. Are you the only student in your band?
No, our drummer goes to City College. I do try to take as many classes at Lincoln Center since it eases the commute. The two campuses are so different, though. This one is a little artsier, right?

That is a valid observation.
But there’s not a lot of people doing music here.

Well, actually, that’s right. There’s a music major, but I think we’re bigger in Theatre and the Visual Arts. We have a few Lincoln C - LC Radar

You won’t have to go through much of Ballroom Jacks' new EP ‘Do the Wolf Paw Waltz’ to understand what they brought you here for: it’s time to get moving, and you know it’s been too long. Sure you didn’t get the girl, but that’s no reason to mope around. As singer Will Arland says in closer ‘I Could Be You,’:”‘I don’t need you, I’m just jealous of you.”

A band exploring New York’s uptown in bouncy guitar-driven tracks like ‘Harlem,’ the quartet has more in common with Britpop icons like Blur and Arctic Monkeys than they might think. Like Albarn, Arlan channels personal relationship outcomes both good and bad to universal resonance with, band in tow. See them live at The Knitting Factory on July 21. - Mike Levine (@Goldnuggets) - The Deli

New York City rockers, Ballroom Jacks, recently self-released their debut EP “Do The Wolf Paw Waltz” with a ‘name your price’ tag. The band consists of Will Arland (vocals, guitar), Ben Arland (bass, vocals), Conor McGlone (drums, percussion), Graham Stone (guitar, vocal) and the trio brings forth a rock fusion of indie-new wave, like The Cure meets Young the Giant. With a solid first effort that’s available for free (you could at least tip them a few bucks!), Ballroom Jacks are definitely worth a listen. - The Deceptive Cadence

Interview after Brooklyn show - Resonate TV

Local kids the Ballroom Jacks certainly keep up with the “all in the family” tradition (cf. Kings of Leon, Oasis, Mars Volta). Will and Ben Arland play guitar and take turns belting out the band's rowdy, vintage Brit-style rock. Talk about sibling rivalry. But for these brothers, it seems to suit them well. Watching their fast, pounding live show, bands like Dawes and Deer Tick come to mind — guttural voices highlighted by solid musicianship. Let's hope they reprise their surreal cover of La Roux's "Bulletproof" at the show tonight. - BeaconPass/Unveiled Arts