Three days into this year’s CMJ Music Marathon and I’m feeling three distinct feelings: 1) Hungover. 2) Ringing Ears 3) Exhaustion. Still, I have to say that for music nerdologists like myself, this is a really fun week. I still have two days and a million shows to go, but here are two of my favorite bands thus far…

TAMARYN

I basically have come to terms with the fact that I love anything vaguely gothy that reminds me of the late 80’s, which means that I’m pretty much obsessed with Tamaryn. The band ran through most of their debut album, The Waves, during their set at Wednesday night’s Stereogum party  I felt totally transported to some other place/time. (A place located in some goth girls bedroom circa 1989, smoking a close cigarette while applying lots of eyeliner) This band is from San Francisco (which somehow makes sense) and they really served up some spooky-shoegazery-Kate-Bushy magic. This music would have been right at home on Creation Records about 20 years ago and this band could have opened for Slowdive on a tour of my dreams. The only thing that would have helped their set would have been more smoke machines, otherwise they were perfect. I’m hoping this is a trend—gothy, droney, melancholy and LOUD.  More Tamaryn, please. 

LOWER DENS

I have been feeling this band for a minute now. They come from Baltimore, led by singer/songwriter Jana Hunter (whose two solo records are perpetual faves around my house). The band’s debut, Twin Hand Movement, is on the shortlist for my favorite album of 2010 and I was super excited to finally see them play. In a live situation, the band isn’t quite as foggy or mysterious sounding, but they still didn’t disappoint me. Also, Jana Hunter could easily pass for a teenage boy…and I was loving her skater flop haircut (similar to the one I had in 8^th grade). My only complaint about the Lower Dens live show I witnessed this week is that it was too short and they seemed a little exhausted, but I’m willing to forgive that considering that they (like most bands in NYC this week) are playing two or three shows a day at various venues around town. This shit is exhausting!

Also, Baltimore is totally killing it right now in the awesome/weird indie rock wars. NYC is gonna need to step up it’s game. 

KEYWORDS: cmj, Music