I so badly wanted to see TK Webb at the Kemado Records CMJ Showcase after having enjoyed him so much back in September. Sadly, a Friday night spent working late caused me to arrive just in time for Marissa Nadler, a delicate songstress in the dream pop vein. Her ethereal tunes gave rise to mental images of goth mermaids and did nothing to resign me to missing Webb and his belligerent Southern roots rock.

Things began to look up when The Muslims took the stage. I had seen a bit of their show the night before at the Mercury Lounge, so I knew I could count on them for some loud sloppy rock. Their punk-infused sound continues the American punk tradition in the vein of The Stooges and Richard Hell, with an appropriately vigorous drummer and bass player.

Marissa Nadler and The Muslims at the Kemado Records Showcase.

After taking some time off from touring, Dungen has triumphantly returned to the North American stage. Touring behind their newest album 4, the eccentric Gustav Ejstes and his merry band of psychedelic Swedes are as impassioned as ever. I’ve always been impressed with how Dungen manages to transform from Ejstes’ one-man show of the albums to a full-fledged four-piece ensemble during live shows and this set was no different. This time around, Ejstes spent a lot of time behind his keyboard and the band seems to be interweaving some prog with their psychedelia. As always, it was a pleasure to witness Ejstes’ ever-evolving musical vision.

Dungen slays the crowd at the Music Hall of Wiliamsburg

See Dungen Live:

28 Oct – Philadelphia @ Johnny Brenda’s
30 Oct – Boston @ Great Scott
31 Oct – Toronto @ Horseshoe Tavern
01 Nov – Ann Arbor, MI @ Blind Pig
02 Nov – Chicago @ Bottom Lounge
04 Nov – Minneapolis @ 400 Bar
07 Nov – Seattle @ Chop Suey
08 Nov – Portland, OR @ Doug Fir
10 Nov – San Francisco @ Bottom of the Hill
11 Nov – Visalia, CA @ Cellar Door
12 Nov – Los Angeles @ The Echo

above slideshows created with Admarket’s flickrSLiDR.

Visit Dungen on MySpace.