The CMJ, or College Music Journal, is a network connecting their office in New York with music professionals and fans. CMJ is well-known for directing the weekly CMJ New Music Report, available in the United States and Canada, and for promoting the CMJ Music Marathon Festival, which takes place on 18-22 October in NY. David Mcloughlin, BM&A representative in Brazil, and Robert Singerman, BM&A RP in NY, are going to be at this event. BM&A has prepared an online CD with tracks of featuring artists. You can listen to this album by clicking here.
We had reported here that BM&A accepted an agreement for exchanging contents and media with the network of people related to the independent music movement. Another achievement is the showcase for Brazilian artists at CMJ Festival in 2011 and 2012. This year, the Brazil Music Exchange Night happens October 19 at Dominion. From 11 p.m., those living in the U.S. will be able to watch concerts of Holger, Loop B, Beatriz Azevedo and Dende e Banda, as you can see here. Holger is in CMJ Freeplay online CD thanks to BM&A. You can check the indie combo from São Paulo on the digital album that CMJ provides monthly with the track “Beaver.”
Our last news are that Cansei de Ser Sexy (CSS)’s concert is scheduled for the closing night. The five-members group will put the audience to dance on Oct. 22, at Webster Hall. We are looking forward to it!
Could you give a brief synopsis of the band’s career?
We started in late 2006, but our first concert was in May 2008. In October of the same year we released our first EP, “Green Valley”. In the beginning our sound was molded in rock because was what we used to listening. After “Green Valley” many things changed, we started to play in festivals, listening different kind of music, playing with so many different bands, making concerts in and outside Brazil. Furthermore we started to hanging out at night and to take contact with the electronic world. From these experiences are the songs in our debut album, “Sunga”, released in September 2010 by Trama. Currently we are promoting “Sunga”.
Are you on international tour? What is the schedule?
We’re on our fourth tour for North America. Today we are gonna play in Louisville (KY) at a house party. Since we arrived were 10 shows in 9 days between Canada and the United States. Within this tour we are taking part in two festivals, SXSW in Austin and the Canadian Music Week in Toronto, which has already happened.
You were praised for Canadian Music Fest. How has been the reception from the public and this experience?
It has been great. We bring a different reading of Indie Rock by being Brazilians. I hate titling our sound as Indie, but I think it’s easier, especially for them (the public). It’s nice to see people following us around here.
How did the opportunity of this international tour? Is it the first time you play outside Brazil?
This tour came from other we have ever done. You need to create a network that is slowly increasing. Brazil has won more space here with bands that are taking risks, good examples are Bonde do Role, Garotas Suecas, CSS, Copacabana Club, Database, Cassim e Barbária. We must expand this network and these bands are very helpful.
For those who still don’t know, how would you describe Holger’s sound? What does influence you?
We’re influenced by anything that makes us rock the body or head. We hear a lot different kind of music, Jorge Ben has been constantly on this tour. But we also heard a lot of electronics, hip hop, axé, digital cumbia, old and new music. Lately we have been constantly compared to Smashing Pumpkins, which makes us happy.
The Sunga album was extremely commented. Could you tell us a little about it?
“Sunga” is our life, for it we left our families, friends, parties, girlfriends, wives. “Sunga” is who we are, it´s a portrait in an album form. We did the songs in 2009, and recorded it in 2010 with producer Roger Paul Mason from New York. Roger is a friend of Brian Mcomber, drummer of the Dirty Projectors, and closely friend of us. He thought that Roger would help us achieve the ideal sound for the new songs.
And what are the next band plans?
Compose new songs. ABSOLUTELY. But we cannot dedicate ourselves fully to this, because we are promoting “Sunga”. As more we play, more we want to compose new songs. We have many ideas that have not been worked out and we eagerly await our next album and touring.
