Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin ends a short tour with Koo Koo Kanga Roo at the Rock Shop in Brooklyn this evening (5/3). Tickets will be available at the door and we have a pair you can win with a copy of their new record Let It Sway on vinyl (pictured above), by following the directions below...

Continue reading "Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin is here (win tix & their new record on vinyl)"

photos by Andrew St. Clair, words by Dominick Mastrangelo

"Tokyo Police Club at Terminal 5. These men do indie rock well" - Luke McCormick

In the awkward land of co-headlining shows there's always one band that you think should be the headliner. Personally, going in, I knew all along that Tokyo Police Club would be that band when they and Ireland's Two Door Cinema Club performed at Terminal 5 on Friday. Having been thwarted in three previous attempts to see them live (the most notable being an unfortunate corresponding time slot opposite My Bloody Valentine at All Points West in 2009) I was still hoping the band that drew me way in with their excellent Lesson In Crime EP and followed it up with two hook-laden full-lengths would be the same one taking the stage as part of "The Last.fm Festival".

But going on after Two Door Cinema Club and their highly polished electro-pop anthems, complete with blinding light show, Tokyo Police Club seemed to spend most of their set trying to match TDCC in both sound and arena rock grandeur, when their songs, as brash and catchy as they are, beg for slightly more nuance. Or perhaps restraint. I was a tad let down, but more on that later

Two Door Cinema Club's set, for long periods, sounded like the same song over and over - did they just play "Undercover Martyn" or "Something Good Can Work"? - with the same high hat-led dance beat as well as recorded backing track and even canned horns on set opener "Cigarettes in the Theater". "What You Know" was a highlight as Alex Trimble crunched out a solitary guitar riff and then sang without accompaniment before the rest of the band launched in to support him. Yet, even then, the catchy guitar pluck so noticeable on record was lost, such the volume of the backing track.

Bloc Party instantly comes to mind but for all the pulsing lights and clear, bigger venue ambition TDCC have a long way to go and are still short on variety before they can match that kind of live performance. But the sold-out crowd was very much into the set and prior to the sing-along of set closer "I Can Talk" (also a highlight) Trimble pulled extra applause when he mentioned how great their CMJ performance at Webster Hall was last October but that "tonight was even better."

Happy Birthday Dave Monks

That Tokyo Police Club entered to the dying strains of Bill Conti's "Theme from Rocky" (their 2010 release was, after all, called Champ), underscored how much of an underdog they may consider themselves. For a band that was set to call it a day before the Pop Montreal performance that ultimately led to them signing their first record deal, their first full-length Elephant Shell was unjustly considered a let-down on the heels of the Lesson EP (though it was featured quite a bit on Friday.)

"We're Tokyo Police Club and we're fucking excited to be here," said birthday boy and lead singer David Monks one song into their set. And you could tell how excited they were - Monks and guitarist Josh Hook pressed heads during "Nature Of The Experiment" and then Monks scurried over and pressed his head into keyboardist Graham Wright's back and then he was coaching the crowd in how to clap during "Tessellate".

But as Monks' vocals continued in a hollowed echo - like he was in a hangar instead of a terminal, it pulled more and more away from the rest of the band's sound. Monks is not shy on packing loads of lyrics into the band's sub-three-minute songs and it was frustrating to have them lost in the mix at times.

Though on songs like "End Of A Spark" which featured Passion Pit's Ian Hultquist on acoustic guitar, and the slow build of Champ's lead track, "Favourite Food" - songs that weren't straight forward postpunk - "Breakneck Speed" was another, everything fell into place and they showed why they deserve to be tops in the pecking order with their tour mates.

After they finished their set with "Wait Up", complete with audience participation on the "woo oooh ooohs" and "Your English Is Good" both Tokyo Police Club and Two Door Cinema Club came out for the encore. "We're going back to 2001," said Monks (who was 14 then), before the ensemble launched into The Strokes' "Last NIght". It was fun, wonderfully timed and the crowd ate it up. It was hands down the highlight of the evening as Monks and Trimble took turns on vocals and everyone else ended up on the drum riser playing to TPC drummer Greg Alsop.

Lost in the fray were Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin who opened the night with a straightforward set of easy, indie-pop numbers. Including those from last year's subtly underrated, Chris Walla-produced, Let It Sway.

Andrew St. Clair was on hand for TPC's soundcheck and caught all three bands including the TPC birthday cake moment. More pictures from all of it, and the setlists below...

Continue reading "Tokyo Police Club, Two Door Cinema Club & Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin played Terminal 5 (pics & setlist)"

by Andrew Sacher

DOWNLOAD: Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin - Banned (By The Man) (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin - Sink/Let It Sway (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: The Mommyheads - Box (MP3)

Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin released their third full length studio album, Let It Sway, through Polyvinyl Records today, August 17th. The album was produced by Chris Walla of Death Cab For Cutie, who adds a bigger sound to the strong pop sensibilities that Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin has been creating since the release of their first album. Two songs off of the album, "Banned (By The Man)" and "Sink/Let It Sway", are available for download above. Also check out a video of the making of "Let It Sway" below.

Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin is going out on a North American Tour for much of the rest of the year to support the release of the album. Part of that trip is with Merge Records recording artist Telekinesis, and that part of the trek includes NYC on September 8 at Bowery Ballroom with third opening act, The Mommyheads, who have been named in the past by Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin as one of their favorite groups. Tickets for the NYC show are still available now.

The Mommyheads recently re-released their classic album, Flying Suit, on Dromedary Records with three bonus tracks, one of which (Box) is available for download above. The album was originally released in 1995 to excellent reviews and widespread college radio airplay, but The Mommyheads disbanded three years later. Since reuniting in 2008, there has been renewed interest in the band. The Mommyheads have just returned from a Swedish tour and a live video of the song "Jaded" is available below.

Can't wait until September? The Mommyheads are playing The Rock Shop with Conversion Party, Sarin McHugh, and The Everymen on August 19. Tickets are on sale. They're also at the Living Room on October 2nd.

All tour dates and videos below...

Continue reading "new Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin album & 2010 tour dates, NYC w/ the Mommyheads (who have other shows too)"

Blondie is playing Nokia Theatre on August 31st. Tickets are on sale at noon.

Tickets are on sale for the Tom Tom Club show at Santos Party House.

Fountains of Wayne play Bowery Ballroom on October 7th. Tickets are on sale at noon.

Tickets are on sale at noon for the Gaslight Anthem show at Radio City Music Hall.

Tickets are on AmEx presale for The Avett Brothers show at Radio City Music Hall. They go on general sale Saturday at 11am.

Tickets are on sale at noon for the Frightened Rabbit show at Terminal 5.

Tickets are on sale at noon for High On Fire at Music Hall of Williamsburg.

Tickets are on sale at noon for Interpol at Wellmont Theatre. Interpol's NYC show doesn't go on sale until next week.

Tickets are on sale at noon for the "All Hearts Tour feat Robyn & Kelis with Dan Black & Far East Movement" show that was added at Music Hall of Williamsburg.

Tickets are still on AmEx presale for the recently added Arcade Fire & Spoon show at Madison Square Garden. They go on general sale Saturday at 9am.

Tickets are on sale at noon for Wild Nothing & Blank Dogs at Bowery Ballroom.

Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin & Telekinesis are playing Bowery Ballroom on September 8th. Tickets go on sale at noon.

Tickets are on sale at noon for Slash's show at Terminal 5.

Tickets are on sale at noon for Jamie Lidell at Webster Hall.

Tickets are on sale at noon for Stars at Terminal 5.

Tickets are on sale at noon for the Best Coast / Male Bonding shows at Bowery Ballroom and Music Hall of Williamsburg.

Dark Star Orchestra are playing Nokia Theatre on October 2nd. Tickets are on sale at noon.

Tickets are on sale at noon for for the Morning Benders show at Webster Hall.

Tickets go on sale at noon for AA Bondy's upcoming show at Bowery Ballroom.

Tickets are on sale for the two Mystery Jets shows at Mercury Lounge.

Shilpa Ray and Frankie Rose (and their bands) share a bill at Brooklyn Bowl on August 5th. Tickets are on sale.

Tickets are on sale for Holly Miranda at Littlefield.

Tickets are on sale for Sleep at Brooklyn Masonic Temple.

SSLYBY in BK (photo by Sarah Cass)

Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin are still busy finishing up their tour that brought them to Union Hall and Mercury Lounge in April. That finishes May 25th. Then they take a break, and then it's back on the road in July for another tour that brings them to Asbury Lanes on July 15th, and to Music Hall of Williamsburg in Brooklyn the day after that (tickets). All dates below....

Continue reading "SSLYBY - updated 2008 Tour Dates"

SSLYBY @ Union Hall, April 21, 2008 (Bryan Bruchman)

tonight in NYC
* Gelmania @ Rififi
* Radiohead on Conan
* Kate Nash @ Webster Hall
* Nels Cline @ Jazz Standard
* Tokyo Police Club @ Sound Fix
* Mum @ Brooklyn Masonic Temple
* Gigantour @ Hammerstein Ballroom
* Jason Anderson @ Pete's Candy Store
* Ra Ra Riot & The Little Ones @ Maxwell's
* Destroyer plays a show at Bowery Ballroom
* The Virgins & Sam Champion @ Mercury Lounge
* Grizzly Bear, Josh Groban & Paul Simon @ BAM
* Cinematic Orchestra is at Music Hall of Williamsburg
* She & Him & Thao with the Get Down Stay Down @ NYU
* Marc Ribot's Ceramic Dog with Special Guests @ Sullivan Hall

Gawker is reporting that Lindsay Lohan will be at Coachella. Scarlett Johansson and Paris Hilton were there last year.

Tonight's Gelmania comedy lineup (8pm @ Rififi) is Jeff Garlin (Curb Your Enthusiasm, Arrested Development, I Want Someone to Eat Cheese With), Todd Barry (Flight of the Concords, Letterman, Conan O'Brien, Sex and the City, Comedy Central Presents), Eugene Mirman (Flight of the Concords, Comedy Central Presents, Human Giant 24 Hour Marathon, Conan O'Brien), Chelsea Peretti (Variety SHAC, Invite Them Up CD) and Tom McCaffrey (Best Week Ever, Invite Them Up CD).

More pictures of Thursday night's Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin show at Union Hall at Bryan's flickr.

Video of a cat playing a theramin below. What else?

Continue reading "What's going on Wednesday?"

DOWNLOAD: SSLYBY - Think I Wanna Die (MP3)

Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin is touring in support of their new album Pershing. They're playing NYC shows tonight (April 21) and tomorrow. All dates and their new video below....

Continue reading "Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin - 2008 Tour Dates, MP3"