Del Fuegos, Sophia Knapp, Richard Davies, Savoir Adore, Pat Jordache, Spanish Prisoners & more in This Week in Indie
by Bill Pearis
DOWNLOAD: Sophia Knapp – Close to Me (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Sophia Knapp – Into the Waves (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Cardinal – Love Like Rain (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Cardinal – Carbolic Smoke Ball (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Savoir Adore – Dreamers (Golden Pony remix) (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Savoir Adore – Dreamers (MP3)
Del Fuegos in the ’80s
Things are beginning to heat up, show-wise, as SXSW gets closer so if you’re going to Austin you might do the smart thing and stay home and rest. But if you’re dumb like me, there’s lots of good music this weekend. To wit:
Dan Zanes these days is best known for his highly successful career as a maker of children’s music, but in the ’80s he fronted Boston’s Del Fuegos, whose brand of no-nonsense roots rock was a college radio staple in the Reagan years. Dan and his brother Warren, plus other original members Tom Lloyd and Woody Giessmann have gotten the old band back together so 40-somethings can call the sitter and go hear him sing songs for grown ups. They play Bowery Ballroom tonight (2/23) and The Bell House on March 3.
In addition to records like 1984’s The Longest Day and 1985’s Boston, Mass, The Del Fuegos were one of the first “cool” bands to be accused of selling out, appearing in a Budweiser Miller commercial (which you can watch at the bottom of this post) that, if nothing else, inspired the classic Young Fresh Fellows song “Beer Money.” Seems kind of silly today, and I’m sure Del Fuegos singles like “Don’t Run Wild” and “I Still Want You” have held up pretty well.
The band have recorded a new EP, Silver Star, and you can stream one of its songs at the bottom of this post, where you’ll find all Del Fuegos 2012 tour dates.
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Sophia Knapp
Another option tonight, over at Union Pool, is Sophia Knapp who you may know from Lights or Cliffie Swan but will release her solo debut on Drag City next week. The press release for Into the Waves offers up “melodic psych pop of the 60’s, Tropicalia ballads, chilly ’80s New York dance records, and the seduction of Stevie Nicks or Françoise Hardy” as influences but I think it sounds uncannily like the soft-focus pop of late-’70s Olivia Newton John.
You can download two tracks from her album at the top of this post and watch the video for “Nothing to Lose” further down. In addition to tonight’s show at Union Pool, Sophia plays a free record release show at Sway on Wednesday, Feb 29 (leap day), and opens for Nite Jewel at Bowery Ballroom on April 24.
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Cardinal (Richard Davies on the right)
There are a lot of good shows Friday night (2/24) and we’ll start with Richard Davies at Cake Shop. The Australian-born singer fronted cult band The Moles in the late ’80s, and whose 1994 album with Eric Matthews, Cardinal, is a baroque pop classic. Improbably, Davies and Matthews made a second Cardinal album, Hymns, that came out last month and basically picks up where the first one left off. It’s a little more indie rock and a little less harpsichord and trumpets, but it’s recognizably Cardinal. You can download two tracks from Hymns at the top of this post.
Davies will also be playing SXSW next month. He can be hit-or-miss live, but is a legend and worth going to see. Also playing are What Next?, the new band from onetime Cause Co-Motion dude David Klein that also features members of The Beets and Beachniks, so expect some scratchy shambolic (maybe charming) indiepop. Check out one song at their Bandcamp page. Also playing: The Pharmacy and Intuitions.
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Pat Jordache
Montreal’s Pat Jordache play Glasslands Friday night (2/24). Pat was in Sister Suvi with Merrill Garbus and though his music is a little more trad-indie than tUnE-yArDs, it’s still rather weird. When I saw them at CMJ, they reminded me of ’80s goth but their album that dark side isn’t quite as pronounced. Maybe it was the two drummer thing. Anyway, Pat Jordache make a cool racket and know how to play to a crowd. They’re opening for Javellin which I realize is why most people are going to go to this show, but do get there early for Pat.
Savoir Adore
Over at Cameo on Friday, Savoir Adore are having a record release party for their Dreamers EP. The single “Dreamers” came out on Neon Gold late last year and expands on their heartfelt, big pop sound. The EP expands that 7″ with a bunch of remixes, one of which you can download at the top of this post. The band are going out with fellow Neon Gold acts The Knocks and St. Lucia, touring their way to SXSW and all dates are at the bottom of this post. Savoir Adore are putting the finishing touches on their new album, Our Nature, which will be out later this year.
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Spanish Prisoners
And finally, Spanish Prisoners are playing Knitting Factory Friday (2/24) with fellow locals Clouder. Spanish Prisoners album from last year, Gold Fools, is still a pay-what-you-want download from their Bandcamp page and is a terrific album if you haven’t heard it yet. The band just released a video for “Know No Violence” which you can watch at the bottom of this post. Like pretty much every band in America, they’re going on tour next month, stopping in Austin for SXSW, and all tour dates are below.
And that’s the main stuff for this week’s TWII. A few more day-by-day picks for shows not mentioned already are below
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 23
We haven’t heard from Acrylics in a while. See what they’re up to at Cameo, with Kuroma, Tezeo, and Bright Moments.
Get trippy at Glasslands with Prince Rama, Gary War, Future Shuttle, ^w0rm b1n^, plus a DJ set from Gang Gang Dance.
Snowmine wrap up their Pianos residency tonight, playing with Tiny Victories, Decades, and Awning.
continued below…
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FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 24
Yes, you’ve probably seen DIVE by now, but have you seen them five times? Get your card punched tonight at new Bushwick venue Cheap Storage (49 Wyckoff Ave), with Total Slacker, Night Manager, Woodsman, and Fabric.
Public Assembly takes a trip to the dark side with Cut Hands, Xeno & Oaklander, Pop. 1280, Veiled, and David E. Williams. Get wierd!
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 25
Blood Orange plays a sold-out show at Glasslands, with Physical Therapy (DJ Set), D-Video.
Avan Lava channel early-80s Prince tonight at Mercury Lounge. If you haven’t heard their new EP, you can stream it at the bottom of this post.
And that’s it for this edition of TWII. Except for videos, streams, and tour dates which you can check out if you click through.
The Del Fuegos – Don’t Run Wild
The Del Fuegos – I Still Want You
The Del Fuegos – Friday Night
Del Fuegos Budweiser Commercial
Del Fuegos – 2012 Tour Dates
new york city – thursday, february 23rd at the bowery ballroom with jarana beat
cleveland, ohio – friday, february 24th at the beachland ballroom
chicago, ill – saturday, february 25th at lincoln hall
evanston, ill – sunday february 26th at space
minneapolis, mn – tuesday, february 28th at the varsity theater
milwaukee, wi – wednesday, february 29th at turner hall
st. louis, mo – thursday, march 1st at the old rock house
kent, ohio – friday, march 2nd at the kent stage
brooklyn, new york – saturday march 3rd at the bell house
concord, new hampshire – sunday march 4th at the capital center for the arts
Sophia Knapp – “Nothing to Lose”
Sophia Knapp – 2012 Tour Dates
Thu. Feb. 23 – Brooklyn, NY @ Union Pool
Wed. Feb. 29 – New York, NY @ Sway – FREE (record release show)
Fri. April 24 – New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom w/ Nite Jewel
Savoir Adore – “Dreamers”
Savoir Adore – 2012 Tour Dates
Mar 1 – New York, NY – Santos Party House
Mar 2 – Boston, MA – The Middle East Cafe
Mar 3 – Hartford, CT – The Mill at Trinity College
Mar 6 – Washington, DC – U Street Music Hall
Mar 7 – Philadelphia, PA – The Blockley
Mar 8 – Savannah, GA – Savannah Stopover Festival
Mar 10 – Orlando, FL – The Social
Mar 11 – Atlanta, GA – The Masquerade (Purgatory)
Spanish Prisoners – Know No Violence (official music video) from Spanish Prisoners on Vimeo.
Spanish Prisoners – 2012 Tour Dates
03/07 Philadelphia, PA – Kungfu Necktie
03/08 Washington, DC – TBA
03/09 Baltimore, MD – Soft House *
03/10 Savannah, GA – Savannah Stopover Festival
03/11 Jacksonville, FL – Burro Bar !
03/12 New Orleans, LA – Allways Lounge !
03/13 – 03/17 SXSW
03/18 Little Rock, AR – Stickyz ^
03/19 Conway, AR – Ford Theatre ^
03/20 Louisville, KY – Uncle Slayton’s #
03/21 Nashville, TN – the Zombie Shop
03/22 Cincinnati, OH – Mt Carmel Brewing Company
03/23 La Salle, IL – 9th Street Pub
03/24 Chicago, IL – Pancho’s %
03/25 Columbus, OH – Kafe Kerouac &
03/27 Rochester, NY – The Bug Jar
03/29 Boston, MA – Middle East @
03/30 Providence, RI – AS220
03/31 New York, NY – Hamilton College ~
04/01 Brooklyn, NY – Cameo Gallery
+ = w/ Clouder, Abanico, Y/Y
^ = w/ Snowmine
# = w/ Nerves Junior
* = w/ Lands and People
! = w/ the Loom
% = w/ Thin Hymns
& = The Saturday Giant, Time and Temperature
@ = w/ Youth Lagoon
~ = w/ Real Estate
