El Perro Del Mar, Taken By Trees & The Soundtrack of our Lives are here (all with 2 shows) - updated 2010 dates, MP3s
by Bill Pearis
DOWNLOAD: El Perro Del Mar – Change of Heart (Rakamonie Remix) (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Taken By Trees – Watch The Waves (MP3)
There’s a double-dose of Swedes in town: El Perro Del Mar and Taken by Trees are playing together tonight (2/16) at Le Poisson Rouge and tomorrow (2/17) Knitting Factory and both have good, new-ish albums out. I loved El Perro Del Mar’s debut EP but found her first album a bit drowning in dourness, as if it was an audition for Peter Gabriel or something. Her voice has a sad quality to it already, the music doesn’t need to wallow too. Which is why I think last year’s Love Is Not Pop works so much better. Working with the Balearic-loving guys of Studio, the record is both lighter and more mysterious-sounding, and some of it you could imagine being used in an ’80s Michael Mann film.
The same could be said for Taken by Trees’ second album, East of Eden, which was recorded in Pakistan (also with some Studio help) and is a little more rhythmic and engaging than Victoria Bergsman’s first post-Concretes effort (which I also liked). I don’t know if “fun” is the right word for it, but it’s definitely more playful. And I think I might actually like “My Boys” better than Animal Collective’s original. She also covered Guns n’ Roses’ “Sweet Child of Mine” which became a modest UK hit.
More hot Swedish action tonight (2/16) at The Filmore at Irving Plaza with The Soundtrack of Our Lives who are one of my favorite live bands of the last ten years. Their latest CD, the double-disc Communion, is jam-packed with power chords, acid-rock, trippy ballads and psychobabble lyrics. Sure it’s an amalgam of every great rock band from ’67 – ’73, but they do it so well and are so much fun to watch (windmills, stick-twirls, etc) that originality doesn’t even enter the picture. If you’ve never seen them live, you should really check them out tonight.
If you can’t make it to Irving Plaza because, say, you’re home watching LOST but are free later, TSOOL are playing an acoustic set later at the official afterparty at Norwood Club in Chelsea. It’s open to the public — just print out this flyer. Doors are at 9:30 and Scary Mansion and Nico Vega are also on the bill. I’d imagine TSOOL will go on pretty late (more details below).
TSOOL will also be playing Noise Pop in San Francisco on Feb. 27 and we’re giving away tickets here. Videos, flyers and dates below…
El Perro Del Mar – Change of Heart
Taken by Trees – “My Boys”
El Perro Del Mar/ Taken By Trees – 2010 Tour Dates
16 February – Le Poisson Rouge – New York, NY
17 February – Knitting Factory – Brooklyn, NY
19 February – Brattle Theatre – Boston, MA
20 February – Il Motore – Montreal, PQ
21 February – Mod Club – Toronto, ON
22 February – Schuba’s – Chicago, IL
23 February – Cedar Culture Center – Minneapolis, MN
26 February – Triple Door – Seattle, WA
27 February – Biltmore – Vancouver, BC
28 February – Doug Fir – Portland, OR
2 March – Café du Nord – San Fransisco, CA
3 March – Troubadour – Los Angeles, CA
February 16
Norwood Club
241 W 14th Street
www.norwoodclub.com/
Doors from 9:30pm- 2amPerforming;
Scary Mansion (Brooklyn, NY)
Nico Vega (Los Angeles, CA)
The Soundtrack of our Lives (Gothenburg, Sweden)
TSOOL – 2010 US Tour Dates
Feb 16th – Irving Plaza – New York, NY
Feb 17th – The Note – Philadelphia, PA
Feb 18th – House Of Sweden – Washington, DC
Feb 18th – Black Cat – Washington, DC
Feb 19th – The Warehouse Live – Houston, TX
Feb 20th – Emo’s – Austin, TX
Feb 21st – The Granada – Dallas, TX
Feb 23rd – The Rialto – Tucson, AZ
Feb 24th – The Casbah – San Diego, CA
Feb 25th – Glasshouse – Pomona, CA
Feb 26th – El Rey – Los Angeles, CA
Feb 27th – The Independent – San Francisco, CA
Feb 28th – Lincoln Hall – Chicago, IL
