By Bill Pearis

Siren singer. Champion skronky guitar solo-er. Drone princess. Dressed in an iridescent dark green smock-frock, Welsh singer Cate Le Bon looked a like Crannogmen royalty at Mercury Lounge last night (2/9), where she held court over a rapt, smiling audience. Those who didn't come as fans left as converts. There is nobody quite like her and, for me, this is the current show to beat for 2012.

Previous visits from Le Bon have been mostly solo, which fit the general faery folk vibe of her first album. Le Bon's new LP, Cyrk, is definitely a "band" album, however, and the group she brought with her were more than capable of recreating its pastoral psych-rock. The night opened with the icy and discordant "Julia" but things warmed up from there as band members switched places as Cate went from guitar to keyboard and back again for singles "Puts Me to Work and "Fold the Cloth." Only her New Zealander drummer, who was flash-free but rock-steady, stayed in one place the whole night.

He also got the evening's biggest laugh. Cate invited the audience to go on tour with her, at least to tonight's show at Maxwell's where we'd get "the same band, and the same songs." Then the drummer piped in, "...but New Jersey" and immediately hit a rimshot to much groans and laughter. The evening finished as Cyrk does with the two-part "Ploughing Out," which starts off gentle and haunting but grows into a chugging, noisy rocker. In a tribute to Wales legends Super Furry Animals (Gruff Rhys was one of her early champions), the songs comes to a clamorous end with Cate and the bassist crossing their instruments like swords.

Cate plays Maxwell's tonight (2/10) before continuing on tour, again with openers Pigeons, and I highly recommend you go to this show (and then stick around for the comedy). If you haven't heard Cyrk yet, it's one of 2012's best so far. You can download "Puts Me to Work" at the top of this post, watch the video for "Fold the Cloth" below, or stream the whole album on Spotify. But really, go see her live. Click through for a couple more grainy cameraphone pictures from Mercury Lounge, and all 2012 tour dates...

Continue reading "Cate Le Bon played Mercury Lounge, plays Maxwell's tonight"

by Bill Pearis

DOWNLOAD: Cate Le Bon - Puts Me to Work (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Ed Vallance - Crystaline (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Old Monk - Warm Moustache (MP3)

Veronica Falls

Veronica Falls are back for what is, by far, their biggest NYC show to date: they play Music Hall of Williamsburg on Thursday. The band's debut was my #2 Album of 2011:

"Found Love in a Graveyard" made my Favorite Tracks of 2009 list and have been waiting a full-length ever since. The band does not disappoint. There's not a dud in Veronica Falls' 36 minute running time. New songs are equals to early singles which appear here in newly recorded versions that might actually improve on the originals. This is haunted pop, a brisk October breeze that calls for a nice cardigan.

Veronica Falls just released a new track, "My Heart Beats," to coincide with their North American tour and you can stream it at the bottom of this post. The song is sunnier than what they normally do but still fits within their sound. Sounds like a single to me. The band are touring with Slumberland labelmates Brilliant Colors (in from San Francisco) and local noisemakers Grooms are also on the bill.  Tickets are still available. Veronica Falls look timid in their press photos, but they whip up a storm live. Go see 'em.

Bleached at BV CMJ 2012 (more by Chris La Putt)

After the MHoW show, Bleached will also be part of the Veronica Falls/Brilliant Colors tour. (Dates at the bottom of this post.) The band are currently on the road with The Black Belles, a tour that rolls into town onSaturday (2/11) at Knitting Factory that also has Bleeding Rainbow (formerly Reading Rainbow) and Habibi on the bill. I caught Bleached at the BrooklynVegan day party during CMJ last year and thought they were a lot of fun in a Runaways kind of way. Good snarly attitude and big hooks. Maybe you caught them last week opening for Smith Westerns at Webster Hall?

Habibi

It's worth showing up early for Habibi, whose debut single (streamable below) is a cool, understated take on '60s girl group sounds. You can stream it below.

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Cate Le Bon

As excited as I am to see Veronica Falls on Thursday (2/9) , I might be slightly more pumped to catch Cate Le Bon's early set at Mercury Lounge that same night. (She also plays Maxwell's on Friday [2/10] as part of her tour) I've been pretty enamoured with the Welsh singer's new album, Cyrk, that came out a few weeks ago. The spare, detached vibe is a little like the Velvet Underground or Electrelane or Stereolab, but there's a hint of pastoral psychedelia in there too. (Shades of Welsh indie royalty Gorky's Zygotic Mynci). The record is loaded with wonderful little touches that reveal themselves with repeated listens. It's a fantastic album.

You can download single "Puts Me to Work" at the top of this post and stream Cyrk at Spotify. Cate has played New York a few times, usually solo, but for this tour she's got her band with her which should be pretty special. Both shows are with local band Pigeons.

Ed Vallance - 'Volcano'

What else is going on? London born, Brooklyn-based singer Ed Vallance released his second album, Volcano, this week and plays a record release show tonight (2/8) at Pianos. The record is dramatic turn from the indie folk of his debut. I bet he still writes his songs on acoustic guitar, but the approach to the arrangements and production are definitely have definitely taken a pop approach this time. While this sort of stuff isn't in vogue so much these days (it's got a distinct early '00s post-Radiohead vibe) it's quite lovely nonetheless. You can download the single "Crystaline" at the top of this post and stream the album at Spotify.

In addition to tonight's show at Pianos, an early show with Pursesnatchersopening, Ed's doing a month-long residency at the Ace Hotel, playing every Sunday in February.

Jeremy Jay

And finally, K Records artist Jeremy Jay is in town this week, playing Glasslands tonight (2/8) and Cake Shop tomorrow (2/9). Jeremy's most recent album is Dream Diary, which came out about a year ago. Like most of his work, it's minimal folk rock with a strong '80s influence. He's an engaging live performer, and tonight's Glasslands show is a stacked bill with Boston psych-folk band Quilt, quality locals Slowdance and Backwords. The Cake Shop show is with Sapphire Mansions and a couple TBDs. (Cake Shop's website isn't especially updated these days.) Jeremy lives in London these days, so go see him while he's here -- all tour dates are at the bottom of this post.

That's the big stuff this week. Some more day by day picks, of things not already covered, are below.

Old Monk

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 8

The second week of Old Monk's Cake Shop residency is tonight. These guys are good! Tonight's with Haybaby, elctro-rockers Year of the Tiger and Code Name Viper.

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Continue reading "Veronica Falls, Bleached, Habibi, Cate Le Bon, Ed Vallance, Jeremy Jay, Ida & more in This Week in Indie"

by BBG

DOWNLOAD: Black Marble - "Pretender" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Black Marble - "Pretender" Pictureplane's Open the Door Remix (MP3)

Speaking of Hardly Art and Pictureplane (who just played 285 Kent), Pictureplane recenty contributed to a remix of Brooklyn synthwave band Black Marble's "Pretender" from Black Marble's forthcoming vinyl release of their debut EP Weight Against The Door via Hardly Art (out on digital now). The remix, originally posted at Mishka, is downloadable above alongside the original, and streaming below beside the video for "Pretender". Cover art is pictured above.

Black Marble will celebrate the release at Glasslands on March 9th supporting TRUST with DZ Deathrays. Tickets are still available for Glasslands.

That's BM's only upcoming date, but it's one of two for TRUST in NYC which are part of a short SXSW-centered tour that now also includes a Chicago show. Updated TRUST tour dates are listed below...

Continue reading "check out Black Marble (MP3, video, a Pictureplane remix, a Hardly Art EP & an upcoming show with TRUST)"

by Andrew Sacher

DOWNLOAD: oOoOO - "NoWayBack" (Ft. Butterclock) (MP3)

Sam Mickens w/ Zac Pennington at Ecstatic Music Festival (more by David Andrako)

Late last year, Sam Mickens announced a split 7" with Voice on Tape due out "winter 2011/2012." That 7" still hasn't been released but you can stream Sam's contribution HERE. However, he did release a single last week, "One Final Round"/"To Victory or Death," which you can stream and purchase at his bandcamp. The songs have a traditional ballroom pop feel led by organic pianos and horns, until halfway through "To Victory or Death," when the band kicks it up into a double time punk beat.

Sam Mickens, who performed Saturday night as part of the Ecstatic Music Festival, has a few more upcoming NYC shows this month. He'll premiere his "Micropatronage" piece with a string quartet at Roulette on February 16 with Jim Staley and Zeena Parkins and Loren Mazzance Connors (whose new album, A Fire, was scheduled to come out this week but has since been delayed). Tickets are on sale now. Sam will then play the same venue on Feburary 18 when he hosts a live taping of ESP TV, which is also part of Roulette's Experimental Love Festival along with C. Spencer Yeh, Little Women, Grasshopper, MV Carbon, and Amanda Long. The event was curated by Scott Kiernan and Victoria Keddie. Tickets are on sale now.

Sam Mickens will also celebrate his 30th birthday at Shea Stadium on February 23 with performances by Sam Mickens Ecstatic Showband & Revue (who recorded the new 12") and Sam Mickens Fourth World (feat. members of Deerhoof, Extra Life, and Cuddle Magic). The bill also includes White Ring and Mirror Mirror.

White Ring last played in NYC last month at Glasslands (1/21) opening for oOoOO (who just announced an EP). How was that show?

Speaking of oOoOO's EP, Our Living is Killing Us (due April 10 via Tri Angle), Stereogum recently premiered the first track, "NoWayBack," which features vocals from collaborator Butterclock. Her airy vocals and oOoOO's beatwork bring to mind some of Grimes' downtempo material and its easily oOoOO's best track yet. Grab an MP3 of the song above and stream it below.

All dates and stream below...

Continue reading "upcoming Sam Mickens shows & a new oOoOO MP3"

by Bill Pearis

DOWNLOAD: Daughter - Love (MP3)

Would you say you were folk? Or as the Guardian so nicely put it, 'Fucked up folk'?

I know right? That's quite funny. It's difficult, because I don't know what we are. We don't really think about it at all. We're more like 'this sounds alright - let's do that.' It did start off with my solo thing for years, which was very folky and acoustic. It definitely started out that way, but with me and Igor working together and developing things, it has all gone a bit more atmospheric and, I dunno, we're just trying to experiment with what we're doing.

People have mentioned that your lyrics are dark and depressing, but do you see them as a release of emotions - which is a positive thing. The Guardian, again, said '"Youth" plumbs Ian Curtis' depths of bleakness'. I wasn't expecting you to be so friendly!

I think it's a relief that I'm actually friendly as I probably would be the most depressed person in the world. I enjoy really dark music. I love Joy Division and don't think I can really write anything happy. I don't know if that's a conscious thing or I literally can't. If I didn't write songs, I think I'd be really weird [laughs]. I'd have a lot of shit that I just couldn't get out. I'd have about 10 cats and just mutter away to myself and play the saw. It's a release of emotion and I can just be rid of bad experiences. It is a bit like therapy where bad shit has happened but if you can put it down on paper and write about it and then sing it to people, then you'll be alright. I dunno where I'm going with that! ['Sup]

Glassnote Music just signed UK act Daughter and will release their Wild Youth EP later this month. You can download Wild Youth's spacious and spooky closing track, "Love," at the top of this post, or stream it below. The EP came out last November in the UK - their second release of 2011. The first was the His Young Heart EP which can be streamed in full at the bottom of this post. You can also watch video of a live performance from December below.

Originally a solo project for UK singer-songwriter Elena Tonra, Daughter is now a proper band with electric guitarist (and Tonra's boyfriend) Igor Haefeli and drummer Remi Aguilella.

Daughter is coming to SXSW this year and has scheduled a few other shows outside of Austin as well, including a few in NYC: March 9 at Mercury Lounge, March 10 at Glasslands. There's also March 8 show with venue TBD. All tour dates -- including DC and Philly shows with Tennis and White Rabbits -- are at the bottom of this post.

Continue reading "Daughter sign to Glassnote, playing NYC, SXSW, other dates"

by Bill Pearis

DOWNLOAD: Hospitality - Friends of Friends (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: The Big Sleep - Valentine (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: The Big Sleep - Ace (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Moonmen on the Moon, Man - Hey Look, a Sweat Baloon Artist (MP3)

Hospitality (photo by Kyle Dean Reinford)

Happy Groundhog Day folks. As you may have heard, Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow so we're getting six more weeks of winter. If that means the kind of winter we've had so far, I'm okay with that. I'm much more likely to head out and go see shows when not faced with the dreaded wintry mix. And there's lots of good shows this weekend, so let's get out there.

First up, the Hospitality record release party at Glasslands this Friday (2/3) (tickets still available). Their album came out this week on Merge, and I think makes a great case for not rushing things. Hospitality started playing about three years ago and released a CDR EP in the spring of 2009 that got them some notice. Most bands would've had an album out by the end of the year, but Hospitality took their time, honed their craft and became a really great live band. And the album is terrific, not a bad song in the bunch; winsome but there's some muscle in there too. You can stream the whole shebang at Merge's website or with Spotify.

The record release party also Glass Ghost and Dustin Wong on the bill. The band are also heading out on a quick tour of both coasts and will be in Austin for SXSW. All scheduled tour dates are below.

The Darkness

On the complete opposite end of the spectrum are The Darkness who are back for their first US tour in six years, playing Irving Plaza on Saturday (2/4, sold out) and Monday (2/6, still available). As stated before, I'm a huge fan of the Darkness' first album, 2003's near-perfect Permission to Land, which I picked as one of the best of the '00s. As a pop album. Justin Hawkins knows his way around a giant hook. After the overblown excesses of One Way Ticket to Hell (And Back) and Justin Hawkins' ill-advised Sunset Strip spandex group Hot Leg, the band seem to be back on track with new single "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us" which is a little more in the "Growing on Me" vein.

The Darkness' show at Bowery Ballroom back in 2003 was one of the most fun shows I've been to in the last ten years, and from YouTube footage of recent shows it looks like they've still got it. They are a kick-ass live band -- it takes skill to play "I Believe in a Thing Called Love's" solo whilst riding on your roadie's shoulders through the audience. (I hope they're still doing that.) Tickets are still available for Monday's show.

The Big Sleep

Hospitality aren't the only ones with a record release party this week. The Big Sleep released The Nature Experiments this week, their first album in four years and their record release show is tonight (2/2) at Knitting Factory. It might be their most melodic record to date, with more songs that have caught my ear on first listen than I remember them doing before. You can download two of the album's best tracks at the top of this post and the listen to the entire album at Spotify. The Big Sleep are touring as well, and all dates are at the bottom of this post.

Moonmen on the Moon, Man

Still more record release party fun: Tomorrow night (2/3) at Cake Shop is a dual record release party for Moonmen on the Moon, Man and Glass Anchors who both have record coming out on the venue's subsidary Cape Shok label which finally seems to be in gear after a lot of promise but inactivity. MMotMM, which might feature members who work or even own Cake Shop, rock in an late-'80s/early-90s college radio kind of way. Their endearingly sloppy pop -- with a little punk and twang -- woulda been right at home on, say, Frontier Records, nestled in amongst Flop and Thin White Rope and Redd Kross. You can download a track from the EP at the top of this post.

Glass Anchors is the musical project of songwriter Annie Sicherman who I admit to not knowing much about but her Cape Shok EP is lovely, dusty folk pop. Says the press release:

Honing her songs in various bands over various years, soaring songstress Annie Sicherman brings us GLASS ANCHORS. The songs on her fledgling EP are plaintive, reflective, honest, and good. GLASS ANCHORS sounds best tearing up road (preferably dirt), the one to oblivion - right after you ended the longest relationship you ever had, the one you thought would last, the one with the proposal. That road can be in your head, but certainly GLASS ANCHORS has the ability to take you there every time... with Glass Anchors, we have the real Annie 3000%, no matter what road you're on.

You can stream Glass Anchors' EP at the bottom of this post. The Cake Shop show also features Bright Lights, Overlord and Fergus & Geronimo.

That's the big stuff this week. A few more picks, day-by-day, are below of things not already covered here.

Classixx

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 2

LA's Classixx play the Popshop party at Santos with Workout and The French Horn Rebellion. You may know Classix from their remixes, like the excelent one they did for Phoenix's "Lisztomania." The group's new single is out this summer on a new label that's a joint venture from the Kitsune Maison folks and, I'm not kidding, the Cobrasnake.

Spacecamp, Mon Khmer, Romans and Skaters are at Bowery Electric. Spacecamp's new EP is pretty good, especially if you like a little Police in your pop rocks.

The Death Set, who I haven't seen play since maybe SXSW 2008, are at the Delancey. Always fun live.

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Continue reading "Hospitality, The Darkness, The Big Sleep, Moonmen on the Moon Man, Glass Anchors & more in This Week in Indie"

Speaking of Fleet Foxes members and Sub Pop, Sub Pop also announced the signing of Poor Moon, a band with Fleet Foxes members Christian Wargo and Casey Wescott and The Christmas Cards members/brothers Ian and Peter Muray. Sub Pop will release the band's Illusion EP on March 27. Download the track, "People in Her Mind," off of the EP below in exchange for your email address below.

Poor Moon will be touring this Spring with Lost in the Trees. That tour hits NYC on April 11 at Le Poisson Rouge. Tickets are on sale now. All dates are listed below.

Meanwhile catch Lost in the Trees in NYC at Housing Works on Friday, February 17.

In other Fleet Foxes news, a tumblr has arisen called Fleet Foxes Sing, where a group of people cover songs like James Blake's "The Wilhelm Scream" and Madonna's "Like A Virgin" in the style of Fleet Foxes. It's not nearly as funny or convincing as Bon Joviver though.

Father John Misty is one of two new Fleet Foxes-related projects signed to Sub Pop. The other is Poor Moon.

Widget and dates below...

Continue reading "Poor Moon (mems of Fleet Foxes) sign to Sub Pop too, touring with Lost in the Trees (dates & MP3)"

DOWNLOAD: The Big Sleep - "Valentine" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: The Big Sleep - "Ace" (MP3)

The Big Sleep released their third LP, Nature Experiments, this week via Frenchkiss. Last year, they revealed the album track, "Ace," which you can download above and watch the video for below. We're bringing you another track from the album, the electro rocker "Valentine," which you can download above (just in time for the holiday). The album artwork and tracklist is below.

The Big Sleep kick off a tour in support of the album tonight (2/1) with a New Haven, CT show at Bar, and play a record release show in their hometown of NYC on Thursday (2/2) at Knitting Factory with Ex Cops and Man Made Sun. Tickets for the show are available.

All dates, video, streams, and album info below...

Continue reading "The Big Sleep released 'Nature Experiments', playing shows (dates, MP3s & video)"

by Bill Pearis

DOWNLOAD: Old Monk - Warm Moustache (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Old Monk - Butter and Toast (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Old Monk - Sacred Birds (MP3)

Brooklyn trio Old Monk start their month residency at Cake Shop tonight (2/1), playing the first four Wednesdays in February. Tonight's show is with Black Forrest and the Dearloves.

Old Monk just released their debut album, Birds of Belize, on Eenie Meanie Records a couple weeks ago. It's choc-a-bloc with big riffs and sticky choruses, with a little of Pavement's brainy cool, and surprisingly complex structure (there's a whiff of prog) given that most of the songs are well short of the three minute mark. Some serious chops too. There's three tracks from the album available to download at the top of this post. "Warm Moustache" is particularly catchy.

Click through for streamable versions of the MP3s, plus Birds of Belize cover art.

Continue reading "check out Old Monk who begin a Cake Shop residency today"

by Bill Pearis

DOWNLOAD: Averkiou - Present Tense (MP3)

IIf you read this week's, er, This Week in Indie you saw that Gainsville, Florida's Averkiou will be in town this weekend with fellow Floridians Guy Harvey for two shows: tonight (1/27) at Cake Shop and tomorrow (1/28) at Death by Audio.

Averkiou have a new EP, The New Imperative, coming out February 10 on Sound Study Recordings and we've got the premiere the track "Present Tense," which you can download at the top of this post. (You can also stream it below.) Averkiou wrap their songs in a warm sweater of distorted, tremeloed guitar and vocal harmonies and those who are fond of early '90 Yo La Tengo, and Teenage Fanclub will likely dig this.

Click through for cover art for The New Imperative EP, "Fuzzy Photogragh" stream, and all upcoming Averkiou tour dates.

Continue reading "Averkiou is in town, releasing new EP (track premiere)"