DOWNLOAD: Comet Gain - Skinny Wolves (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Comet Gain - Why I Try To Look So Bad (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Comet Gain - Love Without Lies (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Crystal Stilts - Love is a Wave (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Pants Yell! - Magenta and Green (MP3)

by Bill Pearis

Comet Gain

The big news this week is this Sunday's (4/12) Comet Gain show at Music Hall of Williamsburg. Tickets are $13 and still available. Crystal Stilts, who are opening for them on all three of their U.S. dates, wrote this about them in a MySpace post:

It is our tremendous honor to be reminding you all the we will be playing a series of shows over the next few days with Comet Gain, about whom we could string together some words that would inevitably fail to say what it is that makes them the best band in the world. We tried, failed and decided to spare you the embarrassment of that rambling. Perhaps in that failure there is something that proves the point but that isn't worth delving into. Suffice to say, the best they are and we are floored to be playing with them, so do come out, it has been far too long since they have graced these shores with their presence and it is certainly not to be missed.

As you may have heard, Crystal Stilts just did a killer Daytrotter session that included two new songs, one of which, "Sycamore Tree," has been a highlight of their live shows for some time. (Their new Slumblerland single "Love is a Wave" is great too. You can download it at the top of this post. Also playing with Comet Gain and Crystal Stilts are Philadelphia darkwave synth trio Cold Cave who I'm looking forward to seeing for the first time. All three played last night in DC and tonight (4/9) in Philadelphia.

Pants Yell!

Almost as exciting for me is that Boston's Pants Yell! are playing Saturday (4/11) at Dead Herring. Their most recent album, Alison Statton (named after Young Marble Giants lead singer), was one of 2007's best records you might not have heard. This is indie pop done just about perfectly, great songs, arrangements full of horns and glockenspiel yet never falling into the dreaded "twee" abyss. They were one of the best bands I saw at last year's NYC Popfest, where I wrote at the time, "On their excellent third album from late last year, Alison Statton, they sound polite, but live it's more hyper-kinetic. You could even say they rocked." They'll play this year's Popfest too (on 5/16 with Radio Dept) but, despite living as close as they do, don't play NYC all that often, so I highly recommend going. The whole bill at Dead Herring is a good one, with Brooklyn locals Knight School, Sisters, and World Atlas.

Eugene Chadbourne

As mentioned elsewhere on this site, Eugene Chadbourne will be playing the Issue Project Room next week, but first he'll be playing an early show on Saturday (3/11) at Cake Shop. The 1991 edition of The Trouser Press Record Guide says this about him, "On his compulsive own, the guitarist/leader of the late, lamented Shockabilly has spewed forth a ceaseless stream of records and cassettes that easily represent the oddest version of country and folk music ever." From what I can tell, Chadbourne hasn't really mellowed or slowed down since. Chadbourne has collaborated with a Who's Who of improvisational/experimental musicians, including Marc Ribot, Henry Kaiser, John Zorn, and Fred Frith, as well as bands like Camper Van Beethoven and They Might Be Giants... many of whom performed at the two-week Chadfest in August 2007. I don't claim to follow Chadbourne's career closely, but he is a legend and there is a direct through-line from his work to bands like Animal Collective (who just added another Brooklyn show) and Dirty Projectors (who just released the first track off their new album). A chance to see him up close somewhere like Cake Shop should be a treat.

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More shows this weekend: If you're looking for something weird and funny, San Francisco's bizarre Borts Minots is at The Studio at Webster Hall tonight (4/9) with Uni & Her Ukulele, Rachel Trachtenburg and Kiwi comedian Griffin Point.

The Wooden Birds, the new group from American Analog Set's Andrew Kenny, play Mercury Lounge on Friday (4/10). Their record is lovely and I caught them in Austin during SXSW, definitely worth seeing.

Flyer, videos and tour dates after the jump...

Continue reading "Eugene Chadbourne, Pants Yell!, Comet Gain, Borts Minorts & more in This Week in Indie"

by Bill Pearis

All Tomorrow's Parties may be the big event of the weekend, but it's not the only game in town and there are loads of good shows worth attending.

Headlining tonight (9/18) at Mercury Lounge are The Major Labels, a power-pop super-group consisting of three veterans of the Boston scene: songwriters Mike Viola and Bleu, plus producer Ducky Carlisle. Viola has fronted various bands over the last 15 years or so, most notably the wonderful Candy Butchers in the mid-'90s, but is probably best-known for singing lead on "That Thing You Do" from the movie of the same name. Bleu (real name William James McAuley II) put out the underheard Redhead on Columbia three years ago, and also fronts the Jeff Lynne loving L.E.O. that Viola contributes to as well. The Major Labels are a little more crunchy than L.E.O., but also owe a lot to Harry Nilsson's piano-based pop as well. These guys know their way around a catchy song and are great musicians. Should be a good show

Also on the Mercury Lounge bill tonight are Dragonette, who I remember absolutely hating when they opened for New Order at Hammerstein a few years ago. But I must admit I kind of like their new album, Galore, in an over-the-top, glammy, hammy disco kind of way. (They also did a funny response to Calvin Harris' "The Girls" which you can hear on their MySpace.) So perhaps they are worth a second look. They're also playing Le Royale on Friday.

Also tonight (9/18), at Glasslands, is something from the "And Now for Something Completely Different" category. I have no idea how to describe San Francisco's Borts Minorts. He's more performance art than musician. It's definitely bizarre. And hilarious. He confused nearly everyone at Union Hall earlier this year when he opened for Kelley Stoltz. Decked out in a white, hooded unitard and playing a bass made out of a ski, he was like if one of the Residents decided to become an aerobics instructor. There are videos of what he does below, but I really suggest you experience Borts Minorts cold.

Drink Up Buttercup

On Saturday night (9/20), I will be heading to Pianos to see Philly band Drink Up Buttercup. They've got a herky-jerky, Tin Pan Alley quality to them that I really like -- it's Beatle-esque but in a kitchen sink kind of way. I'm told they put on a fun, interactive live show as well.

Before them are SpaceKamp who describe themselves as "reggaeton stoner pop rock" and I'm curious to know what that actually means, as they don't have any songs up on their MySpace yet. The trio formed earlier this year after they got along so well as Adam Green's touring band and decided to keep on making music together. Drummer Chris also plays in World Without Magic who are playing tonight (9/18) at Union Pool with Joe & The Flying Spoons. As previously mentioned, "Joe" is Joe from Dirty on Purpose and Patrick Bower fronts World Without Magic. SpaceKamp is also openinf for Say Hi (to Your Mom) at Music Hall of Williamsburg on October 2nd.

The Feelies @ Battery Park (more by Jason Bergman)

And last but certainly no least, the newly-reformed Feelies are playing two shows this weekend -- Saturday (9/20) at Music Hall of Williamsburg and Sunday (9/21) at Bowery Ballroom. I saw them when they opened for Sonic Youth on July 4 and no doubt they've still got it. Glenn Mercer is a shit-hot guitarist and it's worth going just to watch him smoke the leads on classics like "Slipping Into Something" and "Away." Neither show is sold-out, so go check out these living legends. They'll be playing Boston in October, too.

Oh, and if you can make your way to one of Noah and the Whale's remaining shows, do that too. They were totally charming at Union Pool on Tuesday.

All tour dates, flyers and videos below...

Continue reading "Borts Minorts, Feelies, the Major Labels, Drink Up Buttercup & more in This Week in Indie "