by Bill Pearis

DOWNLOAD: The Limiñanas - Down Underground (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: The Gytters - Divebombers (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: The Wrong Words - Summer's Gone (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Figurines "New Colors" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: The War On Drugs - "Baby Missiles" (MP3)

The Limiñanas

Band of the week is most certainly The Limiñanas (mainly because they haven't played here before) who are from France and play Death By Audio tonight (8/17) and Cake Shop tomorrow (8/18).  I'll quote myself (from my Favorite Francophone Albums of 2011 list) again:

Evoking swinging Parisian scene of the mid-'60s (Gainsbourg, Dutronc, Ye-Ye, et al), The Limiñanas dance their way through 12 hits of groovy garage: fuzz leads, killer basslines, combo organ, smoky vocals. Perfect for your next Love-In.

The band, signed to great Chicago label Trouble in Mind, are normally a trio but are joining forces on this trip with fellow Frenchies Gaz Gaz (who also play their own set) to make a seven-piece motorik garage superpower. Friends who saw them in Chicago last week were knocked out. (There's video from that show at the bottom of this post.) I implore you to make it out to one of these shows.

Both shows have their benefits. The Death by Audio also has The Gytters, a newish group fronted by Scott Rosenthal who plays keyboards in Class Actress and has spent time as one of The Beets ever-rotating list of drummers (he also produced their records). The duo make a slightly twangy brand of indie -- check out "Divebombers" at the top of this post. I was impressed when I saw them at Bruar Falls a few weeks ago. Also on the bill are great locals Diehard who are putting the finishing touches on their debut album.

Wrong Words

The Cake Shop show on Thursday, meanwhile, features yet another Trouble in Mind band, San Francisco's The Wrong Words, who have more of a crunchy, late-'70s powerpop vibe to them. (And maybe just a little Thin Lizzy in there too.) Their self-titled debut is a boppin' good time -- you can download a track from it at the top of this post. If you can't make this one, The Wrong Words also play Bruar Fall on Saturday (8/20). Locals The Judy Blooms open the show.

The Wave Pictures

The Wave Pictures are visiting from the UK, their first time here since playing Sunday night of the 2010 Northside Festival. Dates have changed a bit since wefirst announced them. The band are now playing three shows in NYC: tonight (8/17) at Mercury Lounge, tomorrow (8/18) at Public Assembly and then next Thursday (8/25) at The Rock Shop. We at BrooklynVegan are big Wave Pictures fans, which I think most people who see them become. Here's what I wrote when they played our Pre-SXSW show in 2010:

Next up were the Wave Pictures who I'm pretty sure charmed everyone in the room. Singer David Tattersal, in addition to being a hell of a songwriter and pretty fierce guitarist, is a very funny guy. His between-song stories were just as entertaining and the music. At one point he accidentally unplugged his guitar mid-solo, but he hilariously covered the gaff made for one of the more memorable moments of the evening.

The band have a new album out, Beer in the Breakers, and is another fine example of Tattersal's tongue-twisting prose and snaky solos. But I still don't think any record has quite captured the experience of seeing them live. So I do hope you do so. You won't be sorry.

Emmy the Great

Speaking of artists that pretty much the entire BV staff loves, Emmy the Great is also here, playing the Studio @ Webster Hall on Thursday  (8/18). She's an extremely charming songwriter and performer (and person in general) who can find humor in even the bleakest of situations without cheapening the emotions. Case in point her new album Virtue which deals with some major heartbreak. (She can also be just straight-up funny too.) And like The Wave Pictures, she's much better experienced in person than on record (though the new record is quite good).

I'm not sure if she's here solo or with her band or maybe just collaborator Euan Hinshelwood who has accompanied her before. He's got his own band, Younghusband, whose new single on Too Pure is teriffic (and nothing like Emmy's music).

Figurines

Now we move to Denmark. Figurines were supposed to be here in June but the dates got pushed back to this week. They play tonight (8/17) at Knitting Factory and then an early show tomorrow (8/18) at Mercury Lounge.

The band's fourth album, which came out in Denmark last year, just got a belated but welcome American release. For those who found 2007's The Deer Wore Blue a bit wilfully obscure, the new self-titled album marks a return to the hook-filled indie rock of their 2005's Skeleton. You can download "New Colors" at the top of this post.

I haven't seen Figurines play since CMJ 2006 when they opened for Girl Talk. I thought they were fantastic then, I mix of various '90s influences (Built to Spill, The 3D's, Unrest) but processed through that eccentric Denmark filter than makes everything just a little off kilter. The one thing I really remember about that show was how tight they were. Figurines can really play.

The New Lines

And finally I'd like to highlight a local band I like a lot, The New Lines who play this Thursday (8/18) at Bar4 in Park Slope. Steeped in late '60s/early '70s baroque psychedelia and soundtrack music, it's all groovy rhythms and basslines, icy harmonies, analogue keyboards and vibrato. The band just released a split 7" with Still Corners which is a perfect match. You can download a couple songs for free via a Bandcamp widget at the bottom of this post.

I just love this kind of stuff  -- I made a whole mix of it last week over at Sound Bites -- and The New Lines do it very, very well. No idea what they're like live, but I'm looking forward to finding out.

This is a really good week for music. Do go see some. In addition to the above highlights, there are even more shows I recommend which are listed below on a day-by-day basis.

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 17

While I'm seeing The Limiñanas, I think the rest of the BV staff will be going to Chelsea Wolfe, Cult of Youth, and Planning For Burial at St. Vitus Bar. I am the black sheep.

continued below...

Continue reading "Limiñanas, Wrong Words, Emmy the Great, Figurines, New Lines, War on Drugs, Gytters & more in This Week In Indie"

The Dodos @ Terminal 5 in 2010 (more by Greg Cristman)

today in NYC
* Sketchfest @ UCB
* Brain Cloud @ Barbes
* The Quavers @ Barbes
* Keir Neuringer @ Sycamore
* Questlove @ Brooklyn Bowl
* Margaret Lancaster @ The Stone
* Ma'am, Resistor, Cholo @ Union Hall
* The Stooges Brass Band @ Brooklyn Bowl
* Andrea Marcovicci, Jeff Harnar @ Town Hall
* The Cloud Room, Washington @ Mercury Lounge
* The Dodos, Gauntlet Hair @ Bowery Ballroom
* Brian Seymour, Alessi's Ark @ The Living Room
* Cults, Guards, Writer @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
* Pillars and Tongues, Fazer, Daniel Higgs @ Zebulon
* DJ Quik, BFUNK, D-Money, Medefi @ Knitting Factory
* Alina Simone w/ guest Amanda Palmer @ Joe's Pub
* Bedouin Soundclash, Echo Movement @ Mercury Lounge
* Sean Bones, Yellowbirds, Hospitality @ Cameo Gallery
* Omegas, Burning Love, Dry Spell, DBCR @ The Acheron
* Ed Askew, The Black Swans, Zachary Cale @ Bruar Falls
* Zeelab, IKTUS Percussion Quartet @ Issue Project Room
* Heresy of the Human Spirit, Paul Metzger @ Other Music
* Chris Mills, Bird of Youth, Niall Connolly @ The Rock Shop
* Ikebe Shakedown, Bio Ritmo, Colin Brown Band @ Southpaw
* Peewonder-z, Ken South Rock, Blackcherry @ Death By Audio
* Brian Wilson (re-imagines Gershwin) @ The Wellmont Theatre
* Radical Dads, EULA, Gross Relations, Electric People @ Cake Shop
* Flower Orgy, The Hairs, Chains of Love, Teen Witch @ Shea Stadium
* Cowboy Mouth, Jonathan Batiste, Sharon Little @ Highline Ballroom
* big crazy free show in Central Park that Blondie (Debbie) is playing!
* Hop Along, Dead Ringer, Dangerous Ponies, Brick Mower @ Silent Barn
* Super Hi-Fi, The Young Things, Wormburner, Ume, House Bat @ Pianos
* Dayglo Abortions, Verbal Abuse, 80HXC, Sexual Suicide, Runny @ Europa
* Steven Gosling, David Shively (The Music of Andrew Byrne) @ The Stone
* The Dead Exs, Golden Animals, The Fieros, Only Living Boy @ Bowery Electric
* Jay and The Birds, The Brew, My Pet Dragon, Matt Schofield @ Rockwood Music Hall
* B.T. Express, Rhythm Revue with Felix Hernandez @ Betsy Head Memorial Playground
* Tombs, A Storm of Light, PanzerBastard, Bastard Sapling @ The Studio
* In One Wind, The Building, Names of War, Pony of Good Tidings, Gym, Dear @ Littlefield
* Talib Kweli (DJ), Jamie Biden (DJ), Game Rebellion (LIVE), Amanda Diva (DJ), Ahficionados (DJ) @ Public Assembly

'This Week in Indie' coming soon.

Tonight's Figurines show at Mercury Lounge has been moved to August 18 and their 6/11 show at Knitting Factory to August 17. All tickets will be honored. Refunds available at point of purchase.

Jonny and Apex Manor @ Le Poisson Rouge @ is cancelled, though you can catch Apex Manor tomorrow.

Chris Bathgate plays with Apex Manor at the Rock Shop tomorrow. Chris Mills plays the Rock Shop tonight. Chris Garneu just played The Bell House with Keren Ann. Too many Chris's.

Karl Denson's Tiny Universe @ Brooklyn Bowl is cancelled.

John Grant at Joe's Pub tonight is cancelled.

TONIGHT AT OTHER MUSIC:

HERESY OF THE FREE SPIRIT & PAUL METZGER: TONIGHT, THURSDAY, JUNE 9 @ 8:30PM
Featuring Dutch lutenist Jozef Van Wissem and Brooklyn-based multi-instrumentalists Robbie Lee and Che Chen, Heresy of the Free Spirit plays Van Wissem's arrangements of lute compositions and improvisations that draw on early music, folk traditions, modern composition and noise. This special performance will be in support of the trio's new LP A Prayer for Light and Van Wissem's new solo album The Joy That Never Ends, followed by a set from Paul Metzger, whose singular brand of solo banjo music is equally influenced by American primitive, Indian raga, and Middle Eastern tonality.

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DJ Quik plays his first of two Knitting Factory shows tonight. He's also got a new video for the song "Nobody" ft. Suga Free and Ty$. Check it out below.

Bonnaroo has begun, but it doesn't start streaming until Friday.

Bon Iver's new album is streaming now though.

BrooklynVegan presents Tombs & A Storm of Light at The Studio tonight. Flyer below...

Broken Social Scene have a new video for "Sweetest Kill." Check it out below.

Joe Jackson played "Steppin' Out" on Fallon last night with The Roots. Watch the video below.

Death Cab For Cutie played "You Are A Tourist" on Conan last night. Watch the video below.

What else?

Continue reading "What's going on Thursday?"

DOWNLOAD: Figurines "New Colors" (MP3)

Danish band Figurines are releasing their first LP in four years in North America on 4/12, a self-titled effort via The Control Group (it's already out overseas). Download the first single "New Colors" above (you can also buy it on iTunes) and stream the entire LP below.

With the new tunes comes word that the band will head across the pond to play some East Coast dates in June, including Mercury Lounge on June 9th and Knitting Factory on June 11th. Tickets for Mercury go on AmEx presale Wed at noon (3/2) and regular sale on Friday. Tickets for Knitting Factory go on sale at 10AM on Friday.

Full tour dates, the "New Colors" stream, and the video for "Hanging From Above" from the new record and the EP of the same name, is below.

Continue reading "Figurines releasing a new LP, touring (MP3, stream & dates)"

Denmark's Figurines and Australia's Dappled Cities are going on a tour that starts in Seattle and ends with two nights @ Mercury Lounge in NYC on Halloween and November 1st. Dappled Cities are also playing Union Hall in Brooklyn with Via Audio on August 22nd. They play a lot in NYC actually - do they live here now? All tour dates below...

Continue reading "Figurines & Dappled Cities - 2007 Tour Dates"