From the moment they took the stage with a vocal excerpt of Rhythm Control's classic track "My House" playing faintly, it became clear that Tuesday night's Cut Copy show at the Town Ballroom would be yet another memorable and celebratory performance from the Melbourne synthpop band. Touring in support of their latest record, Free Your Mind, co-produced by Fredonia based studio maestro Dave Fridmann, the band showed an effortless ability to incorporate house and Madchester influences into their eclectic, pop oriented sound. 

Opting to play the album's spectacular title track early in the set, "Free Your Mind," was projected behind the band in Facebook's signature font before a blue background, making for an interesting juxtaposition and provoking statement on independent thought in the digital era. Given frontman Dan Whitford's background in graphic design, the show had a strong and concise visual element that ranged from hypnotic black and white spirals during "Let Me Show You" to psychedelic color blends during "We Are Explorers." Combined with lustrous light coordination and a highly charismatic delivery, Cut Copy were able to create a warm, uplifting atmosphere on a cold Buffalo night as they captivated the audience with each drum solo, cymbal crash, breakdown and buildup.

The set also included cuts from their 2008 album, In Ghost Colours, and 2011's Zonoscope, with standouts like the infectious, riffy "Lights and Music" and the acid-house stylings of "Hearts On Fire." After briefly leaving the stage the band returned for a two song encore that featured "Walking in the Sky" and the always affecting "Need You Now", whose yearning chorus set to majestic oceanic scenery was a powerful way to end an impassioned performance. On Tuesday night, Cut Copy were able to prove the ability purposeful pop music has to transcend age, race and gender and bring people together for a damn good party.

Over the last ten years, Cut Copy has been one of the most consistently solid electro-pop acts out there. On last year's Free Your Mind, the band inflected their sound with an acid house vibe and the result was excellent. Tonight, they will be returning to Buffalo with the equally great Jessy Lanza. Those who have seen the band before know that their live shows are not to be missed. 

If you are unfamiliar with the opener, the Hamilton, Ontario based Jessy Lanza released the amazing Pull My Hair Back last year on Hyperdub. This strong debut was produced by the Junior Boys' Jeremy Greenspan. Lanza's icey grooves and spacey vocals make her an excellent opener for Cut Copy and this is definitely a show you should get to early.

Cut Copy w/Jessy Lanza
Town Ballroom
$26
Doors at 7pm

After releasing their seemingly long awaited follow up to 2011's Zonoscope in Free Your Mind, an album our writer Mike Torsell rather liked, Cut Copy will make their return to Buffalo's Town Ballroom on Tuesday, March 25th. Free Your Mind found the Australian four piece ditching some of their pop sounds for more steady, Madchester influenced groove. Tickets go on sale this Friday, Dec 13, for $22 in advance/$26 day of. In the mean time, check out the music video to Free Your Mind's title track below.

Writing about music for the internet often means reacting to a seemingly endless string of hype cycles from both established and new acts, each vying for our attention and respect. Records are either billed as the next big thing or exceedingly important to the future of music and we cover them heavily, expending much in the way of verbiage and seeking out new mounts to proselytize from. What often gets lost are those groups that seem consistently solid, never breaking any new ground or suddenly appearing on the scene to upend everything but who take existing formulas and produce great records that rarely leave our stereos in between all of those most check out material. Cut Copy is definitely one of these solid bands, consistently turning out memorable electro pop albums over the last 5 years. Their latest, Free Your Mind, might be my favorite yet and it is one of the most consistent and fun records to come out in 2013.

Cut Copy have a strange knack for releasing an album at the precise time I begin to wonder what they have been up to lately. Releasing a series of singles over the last few months, the announcement of a full follow up to Zonoscope still seemed to come out of the blue. Their 4th studio album represents a coming together of elements from their last two albums, mixing In Ghost Color's new wave with Zonoscope's strident and more rhythmic moments.

The record contains many of the elements that have come to define Cut Copy over the last 5 years, a mixing of sparse, sample focused, ambient intros and outros introducing a string of single ready electro pop. In line with many of the electronic records released over the last two years, the reference point is early to mid 90s' house music, with driving beats and ecstatic climaxes. The whole thing feels like one large party and the record never lets up on the good vibes for a single moment. While this is great, it would have been nice to hear a more wistful song or two as Cut Copy has often proven themselves to be equally strong in that regard. Still, the party must go on. This is music for that moment in the night when everything crests, before the night's failures become apparent, when anything seems possible.

At times, it feels like Cut Copy is channeling Primal Scream's legendary Screamadelica and moments on tracks like "Free Your Mind," "Let Me Show You Love," and "Take Me Higher," seem to draw substantially from this record, possibly, as was suggested to me, directly sampling it. The reference point is to its more party friendly moments (quietly underscoring just how much fertile territory Screamadelica contained, itself a record that never seems to get its full due in my mind), distilling those moments into a larger piece. The harkening back works in this regard and amplifies the endless rave atmosphere that pervades Free Your Mind.  Meanwhile, tracks like "We Are Explorers" and "In Memory Capsule" could easily find themselves on their older records, especially In Ghost Colors. The overall effect is one of pulling together the various developments of the last two albums into a consistent statement.

Free Your Mind does not represent a bold step forward for the group; however, it also does not represent a step backward or even a signal of going stale. Instead, Cut Copy refined their sound down to what works and have cast out some of the more boring parts that plagued Zonoscope. The final record is one of this year's most solid collection of songs, certainly some of the most fun.

Grade: A

Is the year slowing down? When I looked at what was coming out this month, I started to realize that the new release stream is lightening as the year winds to a close. Soon, we will be reading a seemingly endless string of year end reviews (none of which matter by the way but ours, ours is the only one you should read, we have a lot of opinions and you need to see that we are generally right, me especially, I am the most right here) and we will not see much new music until 2014. So, what is in store for this last major month for new music in 2013?

November 5

Black Flag - What The...: Old dudes who should have retired awhile ago would like to desecreate  anything you might have held sacred.

Bright Eyes - A Christmas Album: A limited charity release from a number of years ago, Bright Eyes is apparently opening your holiday season up early. Like really early. Fun fact, you know how you always gave your mom or dad Christmas albums because that was what they liked...well kids can do that with Bright Eyes now, because we are all old, painfully old (the writer is 6 months away from his 30th birthday, not sure he is doing well with this fact).

Eminem - The Marshall Mathers LP 2: Oh dear lord, the first one of these came out when I was a freshman in high school. The cruel march of time marches on (he might need to talk through this, if you see the writer, tell him it will be ok).

Cut Copy - Free Your Mind: The Australian electronic group is back with one of the year's most danceable albums. Early singles have been a solid indication that the group has built upon their previous two albums, bringing them together into an excellent release. Check back on Wednesday for our review.


Dropkick Murphy's - Signed and Sealed in Blood (Box Set): If you need a gift for your friend with questionable taste in hats and/or beer, here ya go.

M.I.A. - Matangi: After a number of delays and label disputes, M.I.A. has returned with her fourth album. While her "rebel" status is starting to seem increasingly contrived, early buzz has been positive even if she seems to have cribbed the first single and video from things Azelia Banks did a year or two ago.




Sapphire Slows - Allegoria: Japanese artist, Sapphire Slows, is releasing her second album through LA's Not Not Fun label. The first single, "Animal Dreams," sounds similar to labelmates, Maria Minerva and LA Vampires. Textured electronic melodies haunted by vocals perfect for wandering around during the longer and longer nighttime.




November 12

Lady Gaga - Artpop: Seriously?

deadmau5 - We Are Friends Vol. 2: New music from that guy in the big helmet. Might appeal to you if you are currently rolling.

Wooden Shjips - Back to Land: Spaced out psych from the San Francisco group, a few whose members were behind last year's heavily underrated Moon Duo record. The title track is fantastic and will satisfy fans of groups like The Fresh & Onlys.




November 18

Blood Orange - Cupid Deluxe: Dev Hynes has gone through a number of metamorphosis over the course of his career. Once Lightspeed Champion, the artist has reinvented himself as a pop music wunderkind, producing awesome tracks for Solange Knowles and Skye Ferreira. The first single, "Chamakay," may have been one of the year's best songs period. Hopefully this album lives up to its lofty promise.




November 26

Thee Oh Sees - Singles Collection, Volume 3: Just in time for Thanksgiving, Thee Oh Sees release another collection of music. At this point, I fully trust everything this groups does so I am just going to say it will be awesome and will totally scare your relatives. Play it while the pie is served.

Lost in all of this Reflecktor hype is that 2013 still has another much anticipated release, at least for this writer, in Cut Copy's Free Your Mind. The band has been building some hype of their own after dropping the great title track, in addition to a handful of interesting remixes which includes one from J Spaceman himself. On the album's latest single, "We Are Explorers," the Australian synth poppers continue to dabble in their much welcomed Madchester influences as they mix tribal beats with spacey effects, vintage psychedelia, and naturally, massive synths. Free Your Mind, the follow up to 2011's Zonoscope, will be released on Nov 5th.

Cut Copy - "Free Your Mind (Fort Romeau Remix)
Along with Arcade Fire's Reflektor, Cut Copy's upcoming album Free Your Mind has the promise to be one of the last great releases before the end of 2013. The genre-blending, sample-heavy title track is one of the most infectious dance tracks of the year, and now has been given a grooving, jam-like remix by rising UK producer Fort Romeau. Adding his warm, nocturnal house style, the track is stretched to eight minutes of blissfully elegant buildups and smooth transitions that adds yet another layer of dance music history onto the already masterful track.



Jerome LOL - "What Now"
Los Angeles producer and Body High co-founder, Jerome LOL, recently included this drum & bass influenced cut on the label's 2013 fall tour compilation, which also includes tracks from Samo Sound Boy, and Juan Atkins. With an ethereal melody set to a crowded percussion track, the track balances abrasive and ambient textures in a way similar to British artists Aphex Twin and Actress. After an impressive set opening for Baths earlier this week at the Tralf, the talented producer continues to prove himself as one of the most creative minds in the dance music community.



Maya Jane Coles - "No Stick"
Known for her deep, dancefloor igniting tracks, London house producer Maya Jane Coles recently released this hypnotic tune as a part of the "Burning Bright" remix single. Featuring a thick bassline, shuffling rhythm and grooving vocal samples, the track is yet another example of the producer's ability to consistently deliver infectious deep house vibes, giving us a modern take on a timeless sound.  

Samo Sound Boy - "Your Love"
Los Angeles based producer and Body High label co-founder Samo Sound Boy is releasing a new EP October 8th which includes, "Your Love," an energetic acid-house jam with warm synth textures and hard-hitting percussion. Including an atmospheric vocal sample, the track adds an intensity to soulful house that creates an intriguing, forward-looking take on the genre.



Phaeleh - "Make You Feel"
Bristol producer Matt Preston, better known as Phaeleh, recently dropped this mellowed 2-step beat that uses layer upon layer of vocal samples for both atmosphere and to melodically carry the track. Despite being laden with array of interesting sounds, the track avoids coming across as overcrowded and elegantly breaks at the two and a half minute mark to transition to an ambient, blissful outro.



The Juan Maclean - "Feel Like Movin"
Taken from his incredible Essential Mix for BBC radio 1, this piano-driven house cut from DFA affiliate Juan Maclean features vocals from ex-LCD Soundsystem keyboardist and longtime collaborator Nancy Whang. The pair also teamed up for the single "You Are My Destiny" earlier this year and "Feel Like Movin" is no exception to the singer's routine habit of making insanely catchy dance floor jams. The track appears on a split 12" single with label mates Shit Robot released earlier this week.

Artists are finding increasingly inventive ways to release new music this year. Over the weekend, Cut Copy decided to put out a new single at Pitchfork, handing out 120 vinyl singles, pressed on site. The track, "Let Me Show You," continues the direction Cut Copy was moving in on Zonoscope, and is a longer groove driven track. It is exciting to see the Australian act pushing their music in this more rave centric style, channeling the heady house of Screamadelica era Primal Scream. The video is not the best sound quality-wise but enough is there to warrant a post. There have been no further album announcements at this time.

Favorite Album of 2011


M83 - Hurry Up, We're Dreaming: If you have ready anything I have written in the past year, it should come as no surprise of what my album of the year selection was going to be.  I don't think I have been as excited as I was with the anticipation of a new M83 release.  Hurry Up, We're Dreaming came at a very pivotal time for me.  I was in need of a new album to listen to on repeat one hundred times.  This beautiful album(a two discer by the way), could not have been more complete. Each song is as amazing as the one that proceeds it.  Anthony Gonzalez, while holding to his roots, went a different route this time around.  Gonzalez's vocals only got better and he ventured in to eighties style shouting that really gives this album that little bit extra to make it great.

M83 - Wait by Reike

Honorable Mention


Cut Copy - Zonoscope: My second favorite album of the year and possibly my favorite Cut Copy album to date.  Fans were hoping for another In Ghost Colours but were treated to something completely different.  I know some fans were disappointed but they obviously were missing how great this piece of art really is.  As buffaBLOGGER Brian mentioned in his best of, Zonoscope really gave Cut Copy a more full band sound and hopefully means great things to continue to come.

Cut Copy - Blink And You'll Miss A Revolution by modular people

Favorite Song of 2011


"Cinema" by Benny Benassi(Skrillex remix): This gem came out at the turn of the year and began the year of Skrillex.  This screamo front man turned DJ/Producer has climbed the EDM ladder with the greatest of ease.  Unfortunately, this popularity also comes with hate and he is despised by many.  Personally, I stay away from listening to the hate and will continue to rock this remix as long as I continue to love it.

Benny Bennassi - Cinema (Skrillex Remix) by Skrillex

Honorable Mentions


"Midnight City" by M83 (Hurry Up, We're Dreaming): "Cinema" may not be a song per say but rather a remix it was still my favorite.  On the full band song front, "Midnight City," was just a breath of fresh air and still gives me chills when I hear the beginning notes.  The track has such a life defining undertone and really tugs at the heart strings for the entire 4:03.

Midnight City by M83

"You are a Tourist" by Death Cab For Cutie (Codes and Keys): Another lovely single from Ben Gibbard and the boys in Death Cab.  The rest of the album has some other good tracks, but this one really hit home for me.  The line "If you feel just like a tourist in the city you were born, then it's time to go," I feel really speaks to Buffalo and some of the people who don't appreciate living here as others do.

You Are A Tourist [Album Version] by ATL REC

Favorite Show of 2011


Cut Copy at The Sound Academy (04/07/2011):  Now I know this show wasn't in Buffalo and they did play here a couple months later, but just two short hours up the QEW, magic was made.  Some buffaBLOGGERS and I went up to Toronto to see Cut Copy for our first time and boy did they deliver.  Everything was perfect, awesome venue, incredible lights, great people and the giant lit up door that the band entered the stage from.  The boys rolled through both In Ghost Colours and Zonoscope almost effortlessly.  The moment that stands out the most for me though was the very first note of "Lights and Music" and I spiraled in to a moment of pure bliss followed immediately by pure energy and intense jumping.



Honorable Mention


Skrillex and 12th Planet at The Town Ballroom (10/11/2011):  There is no question that when the Skrillex mothership tour was coming to Buffalo, I'd be lying if said I didn't scream like a little child and run around my apartment.  As I said before I do not care who likes or dislikes Sonny Moore, I do and his music makes me happy.  12th Planet started things and had people losing their minds.  He even had to play a bit longer than he expected and did so in a wonderful fashion.  The giant curtain opened and there was the spectacle that is Skrillex's stage.  Skrillex did what he does so very well and took us long in to the morning at the Pure after party with both gentlemen spinning together at the same time.

I entered the Town Ballroom last night to a packed atrium. The highly anticipated Cut Copy show had arrived and it seemed like I was not the only one excited by the looks of the eager concert goers at the bar. The night's first opener, Midnight Magic, was still playing, but thanks to the long will call line, I unfortunately did not get a chance to see the Brooklyn act. With drinks in hands, my concert going friend and I took our spots just house right and not soon after, Washed Out, the second opener of the evening, took the stage beginning with their rhythm section then followed by front man Earnest Greene. The five piece act out of Georgia, known for their seductive mellow grooves, has become one of the leaders of the young chill wave genre. Although introduced as a new song, the band's second song of the night, "You and I", had been circling the web long before the act's newest album Within and Without. Later in their performance and without even recognizing it at first, the band's breakthrough single "Feel It All Around" snuck up on the crowd as the band played a subtle, yet engaging version.

What I liked about Washed Out was that every song they played felt fresh and new. Their more upbeat, dance songs were chilled out out in the live setting whereas their mellow tunes were turned into rocking numbers. Ending their short, but sweet set was "Eyes Be Closed", the first single from their new album. The normally hazy melodies were complimented by bursting synths and delicate blips and bloops throughout the closing number.

After relocating to our normal spot on the first level, house left where fellow buffaBLOGGERS and our friends from Buffalo.com were waiting, Cut Copy took the stage just a few mins after 10:00pm, all dressed in dapper button downs and slacks, with guitarist Tim Hoey in a sharp blazer for good measure. While the white door didn't seem to make it this time, their entrance still got the crowd giddy for what was to come. The Aussie dance rockers wasted no time in giving the crowd, especially those newer fans of the band, what they wanted as the bouncy "Take Me Over", off 2011's Zonoscope, grabbed the packed house's attention and never let go. Front man/keyboardist Dan Whitford once again proved he is one of the more charismatic and engaging leading men in indie rock right now. Part Mick Jagger, part David Bryne in his animated dancing, the lanky Whitford seemed to be enjoying the show just as much as we were. And were we ever.

Like their show in Toronto we caught back in the spring, the band offered the ecstatic crowd a nice mix of Zonoscope tracks and those from the band's second full length In Ghost Colours. The frantic "So Haunted" began with it's blistering riff as everyone in the house chanted "satellite, satellite, satellite" with Whitford at the top of their lungs. "Pharaohs & Pyramids" began with an all out percussion overload, including cow bells(forever to be a crowd favorite of any performance). Right before the song reached it's euphoric crescendo, Whitford asked the crowd if we were ready to "blow the place up" and that's exactly what the crowd did. The place exploded, the ground shook, causing one of our friends to fall to the floor (I think she just missed a step, but lets stick with this story), but despite our best efforts, the roof of Town Ballroom was still in tact. Next time I guess.

Last night Cut/Copy strolled in to Buffalo and delivered a performance worthy of the highest praise imaginable.  So to keep the Cut/Copy theme going, todays picking up the slack for MTV comes from the boys for their track "Blink and You'll Miss a Revolution."  After you watch this video you will agree, but I am still struggling to really understand what is going on this video.  The music video takes place in a cave with a bunch of human sized apes which looks to be right out a Planet of the Apes movie.  The apes are studying Cut/Copy esque hieroglyphics and have each band members body parts in cases.  When the apes pick up the bands extremities they start playing their respective instruments and singing.  The video is shot extremely well and the band just looks down right hilarious in pieces.  It is nice to see a really creative music video every now and then and that is exactly what director Emile Sornin was able to master here.  Enjoy the video and if you went to the show last night, hopefully you are still amped.  I know we are!