by Carrie Brownstein

Here I am, nearly a month into my new life as a New York City resident. The adjustment is going better than I expected; I suppose the mostly sunny skies help. That, and the fact that Stumptown opened it first store down on West 29th. I still have to wrap my mind around the fact that I live here. This past Tuesday were the primary elections, and when campaign workers tried to stop me on the street to ensure my vote for their candidate, I abruptly replied, "I live in Oregon." Actually, I don't.

If there is one element to the city that my born-and-bred West Coast self has yet to become accustomed to, it's the 24-hour professionalism of New York. In Portland, if you get out of bed before 9 a.m., or have a job that requires you to get out of bed before 9 a.m. — if you have a job at all — people consider you an early riser. And if you are out and about by 9 a.m., it's fine to look like you might be sleepwalking. You can be pre-caffeinated, pre-make-up, pre-verbal: flip flops, Converse without socks, sunglasses, a hoodie, bed-head... These are all acceptable forms of morning attire.

But by New York City standards, 9 a.m. is getting a late start. When I leave my apartment building in the morning to take the dog out, I enter a briskly moving stream of people who all look ready for a photo shoot. There is hustling, there is fervor, there is purpose. I feel bombarded with thoughts of Industry! Efficiency! Proficiency! I avoid eye contact in the elevator. If asked, it's easier to pretend that I'm a dog walker or college student. (No wonder people feel like Portland is in a state of permanent adolescence; we all dress like college students and act accordingly.) By early afternoon, I re-emerge from my apartment, looking made-up, respectable and able to look you fully in the eye.

One aspect of the city I've only just started to think about is the music scene — not just the storied one from the '70s or '80s, but the current incarnation, as well. What bands or musicians should I seek out? Where, if any, is the geographical crux? I've spent so much time not having to think about music in the Northwest because I was living and breathing it, effortlessly immersed. But here I am with fresh eyes and new duties.

So, who are your favorite New York bands of yore? Who, for you, embodies the sonic essence of the city? And what current New York bands are on your radar?