by Bill Pearis

DOWNLOAD: The Vaccines - Wreckin' Bar (Ra Ra Ra) (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: The Vaccines - Blow it Up (MP3)

When I attended M for Montreal a couple weeks ago the British journalists in tow (NME, The Fly, Gigwise) all were wondering if I'd heard The Vaccines and what I thought about them. "They're the most exciting guitar band I've heard in ages," gushed one of them. The band only played their first-ever show two months ago and just released their debut single, but will make their American debut headling Bowery Ballroom on January 20 (moved from Mercury Lounge) and then play Glasslands on Jan. 22. Clearly, the UK music press has premature hype skills bloggers can only imitate. Add to this a much-downloaded demo... and it smells a little of Arctic Monkeys doesn't it?

Not musically, mind you, just the groundswell of interest. Just who are The Vaccines? Well, you might have seen singer Justin Hayward-Young at Pianos last year when he called himself Jay Jay Pistolet. He's ditched the neo-folkie in favor of revved-up, Pixies-influenced guitar pop. The Vaccines guitarist Freddie Cowan is brother of Tom Cowan of The Horrors. How are they taking the instant fame? The Guardian published a nice, considered article on the band last week:

[Young] says he's "a worrier" and fears there will be a backlash. "The downside of media attention is that people don't ask 'Are this band good?' but 'Are they as good as people say?'" he says as we discuss the example of the Drums, who began 2010 in a similar if lesser blaze of hyperbole. "But we didn't start the band to be great white hopes. We started the band to be in York tonight playing to 100 people. Y'know, we're in a room above a pub, and it's raining. It's not a 'pinch yourself' existence."

So will the Vaccines survive the current wave of hysteria? They may be the hottest new band in Britain, but the next stop for the Vaccines is a pub in Derby.

"We really haven't done much," says Young, softly but firmly dismissing any more talk of hype. "Later was different, because it was an opportunity to play the songs. But we're playing everywhere we can, and the people getting behind us are doing it because they genuinely like the band. We can't really feel guilty for that. We're doing everything the right way."

As for the hype, American and UK audiences don't seem as in tune with one another as they did during the Arctic Monkeys mania of 2005. Anyway, there are two Vaccines tracks to download above. They are admittedly pretty catchy songs. Worthy of the hype? Decide for yourself.  Tickets are still available for both the Bowery and Glasslands shows. Oberhoffer opens at both. The Vaccines will also be over for SXSW as well. You've been warned. All upcoming Vaccines live dates and the video for "Wreckin' Ball" and some live clips are after the jump.

Continue reading "The Vaccines are the 'hottest new band in Britain' (coming to NYC) -- MP3s & dates "

photos by Tim Griffin

DOWNLOAD: Peggy Sue - Spare Parts (MP3)

"Sure, there were fewer UK music press and record label people than usual at the industry jolly, but a swathe of British bands were still touting their wares [at SXSW] - proving that despite being less than half the size of Texas, we can more than hold our musical own. Aside from spots by Kanye West, Tori Amos, Metallica and a talk by Quincy Jones the biggest acts of the weekend were all British. There was a keynote speech from Jarvis Cocker, gigs from Echo and the Bunnymen, Primal Scream, Glasvegas, Graham Coxon and PJ Harvey, as well as shows from the hype-friendly likes of Little Boots, Late of the Pier, Gallows, Mumford and Sons (whose keyboard player was taken off a connecting flight in Atlanta due to a peanut allergy), Peggy Sue, and Laura Marling." [Guardian]

When Tim, and at least one member of Los Campesinos! weren't at Sky Larkin's Mercury Lounge show, or Micachu's Cake Shop show, they were spending part of their portion of Monday night's British Invasion in NYC, at Pianos checking out Peggy Sue & the Pirates (who went on before Jay Jay Pistolet who also played Sidewalk Cafe last night). The Peggy pics in this post are from that Pianos show...

"Those two girls looked tired and it showed in their music. I truly adore their music, a strong gospel meets country roots folk. It's different from the other anti-folk music coming out of the U.K. "Lazarus" could have easily fit into O Brother, Where Art Thou? with it's terrific harmonies and heavy drum beat. I wanted to get that feeling from their live set, but it was decent, not great. I did have high expectations, but I think the circumstances of playing late and still having that SXSW hangover affected their performance. They get a pass. What we did get is a fun cover of Missy Elliot's "Up In My Grill"." [Music Snobbery]

If you missed it (or their added-at-the-last-minute opening set for Ladyhawke at Bowery Ballroom last night), there are two more NYC chances to catch Peggy - tonight (3/25) at Sidewalk Cafe, and tomorrow (3/26) at Death By Audio. More pictures from Pianos below...

Continue reading "Peggy Sue played SXSW, Bowery Ballroom & Pianos (pics)"

Micachu & the Shapes @ Ms. Bea's - Todd P SXSW - March 18, 2009 (andycarvin)

"SXSW has positioned itself as a one-stop opportunity to make contacts across the American music business, and it has had a steadily increasing presence for bands from abroad. This year there were 594 international acts at official showcases.

One startling British import was Micachu and the Shapes, a trio of former music school students who love bare-bones structures. Mica Levi's terse, choppy songs for the group use dissonant guitar chords, hardheaded lyrics, a swinging drumbeat, perky keyboard hooks and contrapuntal cowbells, among other things, for songs with the ebullience of a skiffle band and the hardheadedness of hip-hop. [NY Times]

Micachu have been keeping busy in Texas all week. Tonight they/she/whatever play their first post-SXSW NYC show at Cake Shop. From there it's Death by Audio and Pianos (with the Grates).

Jay Jay Pistolet and Peggy Sue, now finished with their run of shows in Austin, kick off their multiple-night run in NYC with a show at Pianos tonight (3/23).

Sky Larkin is also here tonight (3/23) - at Mercury Lounge with The Grates who, in addition to the Pianos/Micachu show are also playing the Bell House while in town.

by Bill Pearis

DOWNLOAD: Jay Jay Pistolet - Happy Birthday You (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Peggy Sue - Spare Parts (MP3)

Peggy Sue

South by Southwest is kind of like other people's dreams. If you're not a part of it, you may not want to hear about it. But at least for those in NYC, we do get some of SXSW's runoff, with many bands from Not America making pit stops here before or after the Austin onslaught. We did a rundown of Australia's offers last week, so in this few-part series I'll highlight some of the more notable bands from the UK and elsewhere in Europe who'll be visiting us over the next three weeks.

Let's start with three UK bands that are somewhat related. Like Laura Marling, who will be at SXSW again this year, Mumford and Sons, Peggy Sue, and Jay Jay Pistolet each have ties to London's "alt-folk movement"...

Continue reading "Mumford & Sons, Peggy Sue & Jay Jay Pistolet coming to NYC & SXSW -- MP3's, videos & tour dates "