Silly Kissers, Grimes, Wolf Gang, Toys & Tiny Instruments, Turbo Fruits & more in This Week in Indie
by Bill Pearis
DOWNLOAD: Silly Kissers – Treat Me Like You Do (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Grimes – Weregild (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Wolf Gang – Lions in Cages (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Wolf Gang – Pieces of You (MP3)
It’s the weekend before CMJ which is usually pretty quiet, but…not this year. Me, I’m probably staying in. But you might want to check out:
Montreal’s cute synthpop band Silly Kissers are visiting, playing three shows this weekend: tonight (10/14) at Cake Shop, then Friday (10/15) at Silent Barn and Sunday at Glasslands. The band were here for CMJ last year, playing the M for Montreal night at Arlene’s Grocery where they wore mime makeup which was probably a mistake. They were better when I saw them in their hometown last November:
“Silly Kissers didn’t wear mime makeup this time (like they did at CMJ) which is a definite plus, but I really don’t think they are “export ready.” Which is not a dis. Their low fi, cutesy (sometimes charming) version of ’80s synthpop would be more at home at a house party rather than with the fancy lights at club Juste Pour Rire.”
Which makes all three places Silly Kissers are playing pretty ideal settings for them. They are fun, and the songs — sugary, ’80s-inspired indie-dancepop — are undeniably catchy. Check out “Treat Me Like You Do” at the top of this post.
All three shows are with fellow MTL-er Claire Boucher who performs under the name Grimes. Her new record, Halafaxa, is a “pay what you want” download from their label’s website. Ethereal, occasionally dub-infected and danceable, Halafaxa should appeal to fans of Delorean and Sally Shapiro (or even old 4AD bands like Colourbox or Dif Juz). Definitely worth a click. You can download “Weregild” from it at the top of the this post to give you a taste. Like a lot of music like this, making it interesting to watch in a live setting is the big hurdle. Can she do it? Go see them live.
By the way, I’ll talk more about this later, but as we just pointed out, M For Montreal’s 2010 CMJ showcase will again be at Arlene’s Grocery, but this time with Random Recipe, The Luyas, Uncle Bad Touch, PS I Love You, Radio Radio, and Red Mass.
London’s Wolf Gang play the second of their NYC shows tonight (10/14). I have a soft spot for this sort of melodramatic anthemicism, especially when you add a dancey element to it. Did anyone go see them last night at Santos? You can check out two tracks at the top of this post: “Lions in Cages” which is pretty typical of what Wolf Gang do, and “Pieces of You” which sounds a little more like Grizzly Bear or something.
The show also has Acrylics on the bill who I like a lot but have been pretty quiet for the last six months so I’m anxious to see what they’ve been up to. Like maybe they’ve been making their debut album? Let’s hope. Also playing are Safe and Painted Faces who I know bubkis about.
Toys & Tiny Instruments
And finally I’d like to highlight a pretty cool show at Bruar Falls on Friday (10/15). Headlining are Toys & Tiny Instruments who don’t need a lot of explanation. You see their name, and you know what they do. But they’re much better than you might expect. They played Bruar Falls back in the Spring and while the night started with some eye-rolling — oh boy what is this novelty thing about to happen? — everyone there ended up kinda being wowed. They may buy their gear at Toys R’ Us but that doesn’t mean they don’t write awesome songs, and that they can’t play their instruments well. I liked them so much I had them play my lunchtime series at the Seaport over the summer and they were great there too. Friday is the first show they’ve played since then and it’s a release party for their debut EP.
The rest of the bill is pretty notable and eclectic: Joe Jack Talcum of the Dead Milkmen (he sang lead on “Punk Rock Girl”); home recording legend R. Stevie Moore; and Beth Sorrentino who some of you may remember from ’90s indie pop band Suddenly, Tammy! whose song “Lamp” still makes it onto mixes around my house.
Sparky Deathcap
And a few more DAILY PICKS NOT COVERED ABOVE
THURSDAY, OCT 14
Fans of Los Campesinos!, who play Music Hall of Williamsburg Friday and Saturday night, might be interested to know that Rob Taylor also performs solo under the name Sparky Deathcap and will be doing so tonight at the Rock Shop. It’s a free show starts at 8pm sharp.
The Delancey may feel a bit like Silent Barn tonight what with a lineup that includes My Teenage Stride, Lame Drivers, Suprisers and Easter Vomit. You can download five new MTS songs, all of which are good, over at Free Music Archive.
And if you’d like to laugh, Coco 66 tonight hosts Supershow!, a free comedy variety show, that tonight hasThu Tran of IFC’s Food Party, the Found Footage Festival guys, Gabe Delahaye of Videogum, and more.
continued below…
FRIDAY, OCT 15
Translations, my new favorite local band, play Cake Shop. If you havent downloaded their free digital single yet, do so now. It’s great Flying Nun-GVB style indie rock. I have yet to see them live, hopefully tonight. Also on the bill: Brisbane, Australia’s dancerock duo the DZ (a little like DFA1979).
DZ
SATURDAY, OCT 16
Cake Shop should be in full lascivious mayhem mode for Hunx & His Punx, Babies and the K-Holes.
Death by Audio has a rockin lineup, with Nashville’s Turbofruits and Pujol (on tour together – dates below), plus Liquor Store and new Kanine signees Dream Diary.
And that’s it for this week. No TWII next week, but I will have daily picks starting Tuesday for the CMJ onslaught. Flyers, videos and tour dates below…
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Silly Kissers – Halloween Summer
SK by Silly Kissers
Silly Kissers – 2010 Tour Dates
Oct 14 Cake Shop w/ Pink Skull, Grimes New York, NY
Oct 15 SilentBarn NY
Oct 17 Glasslands w/ Grimes, Family Dynamics, Blue Hawaii Brooklyn, NY
Oct 21 The Capital w/ Pop Winds Fredericton, New Brunsw, CANADA
Oct 23 St. Matthews Church w/ Handsome Furs Halifax, Nova Scoti, CANADA
Wolf Gang – Back to Back
Wolf Gang – 2010 Tour Dates
Oct 13 – Neon Gold Party – Santos Party House New York, New York, UNITED KINGDOM
Oct 14 – Bridgeclub Party – Glasslands Brooklyn, NY
Oct 21 – Hoxton Bar + Kitchen London, London, UNITED KINGDOM
Nov 16 – The Basement York, york, UNITED KINGDOM
Nov 17 – King Tuts Glasgow, Glasgow, UNITED KINGDOM
Nov 18 – The Foundry Sheffield, Sheffield, UNITED KINGDOM
Nov 23 – The Hope Brighton, Brighton, UNITED KINGDOM
Nov 24 – Hare + Hounds Birmingham, Birmingham, UNITED KINGDOM
Nov 27 – Unit 22 Southampton, Southampto, UNITED KINGDOM
Dec 2 – Thekla Bristol, Bristol, UNITED KINGDOM
Dec 3 – FAC 251 Manchester, Manchester, UNITED KINGDOM
Joe Jack Talcum with Samuel Locke-Ward & The Boo Hoos – 2010 Tour Dates
Thursday, October 14 @ The Brighton Bar, 121 Brighton Ave, Long Branch NJ 07740
Friday, October 15 @ Bruar Falls, 245 Grand Street, Brooklyn NY 11211
Saturday, October 16 @ Connie’s Ric Rac Theater, 1132 South 9th street (Between Washington and Ellsworth), Philadelphia PA 19147
Friday, October 29 @ Dogfish Head Brewings and Eats, 320 Rehoboth Ave, Rehoboth Beach, DE 19971 * Talcum Powder Trio – 2 Sets! * 10 PM
Turbo Fruits – 2010 Tour Dates
10.14.10 Thu Philadelphia, Pennsylvania The Ox *
10.15.10 Fri New Brunswick, New Jersey Meat Town USA *
10.16.10 Sat Brooklyn, New York Death By Audio * , Liquor Store, Dream Diary
10.17.10 Sun Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts Homegrown Festival *
10.18.10 Mon Easthampton, Massachusetts Flywheel *
10.19.10 Tue Scranton, Pennsylvania Vintage Theater *
10.20.10 Wed New Haven, Connecticut Cafe 9
10.21.10 Thu Annandale-on-Hudson, New York Bard College w/ Ty Segall, Pujol
10.22.10 Fri Washington, DC Comet Pizza *
10.23.10 Sat Brooklyn, New York Knitting Factory (Brooklyn) *
10.25.10 Mon Charlotte, North Carolina Snug Harbor
11.11.10 Thu Louisville, Kentucky Rudyard Kipling *
11.12.10 Fri Carbondale , Illinois Gatsbys *
11.13.10 Sat Chicago, Illinois The Bloodline *
11.14.10 Sun Milwaukee, Wisconsin Cactus Club *
11.15.10 Mon Kalamazoo, Michigan The Strutt *
11.16.10 Tue Detroit, Michigan Lager House *
11.17.10 Wed Muncie , Indiana Be Here Now *
11.18.10 Thu Indianapolis , Indiana Radio Radio *
11.19.10 Fri Bloomington , Indiana Video Saloon *
* w/ Pujol
