written with Andrew Sacher

DOWNLOAD: Puro Instinct - "Stilyagi" (Feat. Ariel Pink) (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Purity Ring - "Ungirthed" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Purity Ring - "Lofticries" (MP3)

Pure X

Caves are so 2010, and animals names are prehistoric to the point that people are probably digging up their fossils. 'Pure' is totally in right now (even more so than 'Twin'), as Cave must have realized when they named their latest release "Pure Moods". The Pains of Being Pure at Heart (who have a new video and tour dates below) may have been on to something in 2007, though they have too many words in their name to really focus in on pure. Lately bands have been zeroing in on this phenomenon. Pure, if you're listening, maybe it's time to reunite again.

Pure X (formerly Pure Ecstasy) released their first full length Pleasure on Tuesday (7/5) and will be in NYC this week to play 285 Kent on Friday (7/8) and Ding Dong Lounge on Saturday (7/9). Bill talks more about both shows in This Week In Indie. Pleasure is streaming below along with both NYC show flyers.

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Puro Instinct @ Mercury Lounge (more by Amanda Hatfield)

A slightly less pure version of the word can be found in the Mexican Summer-signed Puro Instinct who, probably to get closer to pure, recently changed their name from Pearl Harbor. Their debut LP under Puro Instinct, Headbangers in Ecstasy, was released back in February. They played four NYC shows last week. Stereogum likes them, but not as much as they like Pure X. Gorilla vs. Bear thinks they're way better than Pure X though. Bill says, "They can really sing and play...better songs will come with time. They're young." Ariel Pink likes them too. They opened for him on tour and at Irving Plaza back when they were still called Pearl Harbor (and are touring now with Ariel's friend John Maus). Ariel also collaborated with the band on the single "Stilyagi." Grab that MP3 above and watch the video for the track below.

So, Pure X, formerly Pure Ecstasy, who released Pleasure, are not to be confused with Puro Instinct, formerly Pearl Harbor who released Headbangers in Ecstasy. But that's not all...

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Purity Ring (photo by Chris Tait

Corin Roddick from Gobble Gobble wised up earlier this year, and formed the duo Purity Ring with Megan James. They played their first show last month at Sled Island in Calgary, AB. They were the secret guest the last night of the fest at Hifi Club before Twin Shadow played. They're pictured above in an alleyway outside of the show taken right after they played. They've got a few other festival appearances scheduled including Bumbershoot, FYF Fest, MusicfestNW, and POP Montreal. All of their tour dates are listed below (and that includes a show with Twin Sister who the Pains of Being Pure at Heart also have dates scheduled with). Their only release so far is the single for "Ungirthed" b/w "Lofticries." Both tracks are pretty awesome dubsteppy electropop that the group have dubbed future pop. Grab both MP3s above, one of which also appears on Gorilla vs Bear's mid-year list.

Though older and a bit noisier, it's not unlikely that the similarly named Prurient (aka Dominick Fernow) could end up on the same bill as any of the aforementioned artists - especially considering Prurient just played Public Assembly on June 17 as part of a Stereogum Northside show, and Stereogum's Top 20 Albums of 2011 (so far) list includes not only Prurient, but also Puro Instinct, Pure X, and even an honorable mention for the Pains of Being Pure at Heart. Prurient aka Dominick was smart to return with a new album this year to distance himself from his other band with the now outdated name, Cold Cave. Prurient's new LP Bermuda Drain drops July 19 via Hydra Head. Grab the track "A Meal Can Be Made" from that here.

Videos, dates and album stream below...

Continue reading "It's all about being 'Pure' (Purity Ring, Pure X, Puro Instinct, The Pains of Being & even Prurient)"

by Andrew Frisicano

Mac and Britt embrace (Triangle Music)

The much anticipated XX Merge Festival took place last week in North Carolina with a five-day (July 22-July 26), Wednesday to Sunday run of shows. Last night (Sunday)'s show with She & Him, American Music Club and Wye Oak was the only fully announced lineup. The other four nights (and one day) were a grab bag of any number of Merge bands past and present. Did you go? What were the highlights?

Conor Oberst & the Mystic Valley Band, who recently played a pair of big NY shows, headlined the fest's first night (which also included Magnetic Fields). Superchunk, which features Merge founders Laura Ballance and Mac McCaughan, topped the bill of the second night. The third night included the reformed/reunited lineups of Spent, Polvo and Pipe.

Mac McCaughan came out on stage before [Pipe] instead of the night's emcee and announced that there was a lone protester outside. He invited him up on stage and it was Jon Wurster decked out in Phillies gear as Philly Boy Roy. He was holding a sign that said "Boycot MERGE." He complained that Merge didn't have any Philly bands on their roster and Mac said that they have bands from Jersey, which is close to Philly. You never compare Jersey to Philly in front of Philly Boy Roy. It was hilarious.

All of this led to the introduction of New Jersey punks Pipe. As soon as they kicked into their first song, beer cans and plastic bottles started flying. Frontman Ron Liberti ate it up and even put himself in the line of fire, headbutting some of the cans while kicking some back into the crowd. Liberti bounded around the stage, essentially taunting the crowd. The crowd loved the band's antics as did I (but that may have been different if I hadn't managed to stay dry). [triangle music]

In addition to the Cat's Cradle shows (the venue for 4/5 of the night shows), Saturday featured a day show that included Julian Koster solo as Music Tapes and Mac McCaughan with violin accompaniment as Portastatic. A few videos from that set, below.

M. Ward, who's playing the Central Park Summerstage this Saturday (August 1st), played at the fest's Saturday night showcase. Zooey Deschanel joined him for a cover of the Beatles' "Birthday." Not too big of a surprise considering She & Him headlined the Sunday night show.

Other XX Merge artists who recently stopped in NYC include The Clientele and Richard Buckner (they played Music Hall of Williamsburg last Sunday), Versus and Superchunk (they played South Street Seaport last Friday), and Spent (they played Coco 66). Spoon didn't play a NYC show, but they were spotted in the audience of Paul McCartney's third of three shows at Citi Field in Queens. Destroyer is on his way up. He plays Bowery Ballroom on Thursday. Mark Eitzel (as American Music Club) played Le Poisson Rouge and Maxwell's before XX Merge, and now he's on his way back for a show at The Bell House.

Lineups for each night of XX Merge, with videos, and a bunch of setlists, below...

Continue reading "Merge celebrated their 20th w/ 5 days of shows in North Carolina (lineups, reviews, pics, video setlists...)"