Awesome show, amazing price
The invigorating power pop of Matt and Kim highlights CD101's $5 Summerfest
By Reyan Ali |
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Matt and Kim pack unquantifiable amounts of exuberance into spit-shined bursts of on-key indie pop. There's something maddening about their very existence: how can this Brooklyn pair - a long-time offstage item - show such unabashed adoration for life and each other, and not make a listener want to hurl? Somehow, the duo makes it work. Check out the sublimely bubbly chorus from "Daylight," the tastiest piece of candy from the band's second full-length album, January's Grand: "And in the daylight, we can hitchhike to Maine / I hope that someday I'll see without these frames / And in the daylight, I don't pick up my phone / 'cause in the daylight anywhere feels like home." Shout that with a grin on your face, percussion rattling, and bouncy piano and tweaks of spacey synth leaping forward, and you're close to emulating the spirit of Matt and Kim. As succinctly stated by a YouTube commenter discussing one of their clips: "They belong together because they rock."
The duo's life before the music enhances their story. Matthew Johnson and Kim Schifino met at the Pratt Institute in New York, began creating art together, and at some point, fell into a romance. About five years ago, they decided to start a band - without knowing how to play any instruments. Today, Matt mans the keyboards and Kim bangs away on drums (the team trades vocal duties). The pair currently lives in a cramped apartment in the stylish indie neighborhood of Williamsburg when they're not traversing the country. They also hold strong ties elsewhere: Kim loves her home state of Rhode Island so much that she has a tattoo of it on her wrist; Grand was laid down in Matt's boyhood bedroom in Vermont. Matt and Kim's work is one big expression of affection.
Still, there's a bite buried beneath that sweetness. The video for the unusually calm "Lessons Learned" displays their daring side: as autumnal coos gradually envelop the speakers, the couple walks through Times Square with purpose. Slowly, they strip. Even flanked by passers-by gaping, gossiping, and unashamedly revealing camera phones, the couple doesn't skip a garment. By the end of the block, Matt's totally bare and Kim's wearing nothing but ink and striped socks. The trek was filmed in the winter, making the feat even more impressive. The pair pauses at a crosswalk and gazes skyward, taking in the liberating moment. Then cops enter: one manhandles Matt, another tugs at Kim. Eventually, they shake free. Kim inexplicably runs into the street where a (digitally inserted) bus runs over her. Both the premise and conclusion poke fun at the pitfalls of too much liberation.
CD101's Summerfest will take place at the LC Pavilion Saturday, August 22. For more info, visit CD101.com
While Matt and Kim had not been confirmed as the headliner of CD101's Summerfest as of press time, they are assuredly the show's heaviest hitter. There's much range to be found in the $5 concert. The British Band of Skulls snaps out bluesy, White Stripes-esque garage revival, teeming with tambourine and stomp. Mopey St. Louis gang, Living Things, crank out hard alternative rock. Miike Snow's tepid electro-pop meanders but is certainly danceable. Finally, the untamed garage-soul crunch of Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears works wonders out of squealing electric guitars, making retro feel refreshing. More acts will be added soon.
Karac Ruleau, CD101's Director of Marketing & Promotions, emphasizes the value of the varied line-up. "The Low Dough Shows give us the chance to thank our listeners by giving them the opportunity to see national recording artists for an affordable price," he says. "If it wasn't for their support, CD101 wouldn't exist." For the cost of an Abe Lincoln, the bill is worth a shot.
Originally Published: August 1, 2009
