casiokids9

Foals, Kelley Stoltz, Winter Gloves, Casiokids, El Guincho, Film School, Home Video & more in This Week in Indie

by Bill Pearis

DOWNLOADSonny & the Sunsets – Lovin’ on an Older Gal (MP3)
DOWNLOADKelley Stoltz – I Don’t Get That (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Film School – Heart Full of Pentagons (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Home Video – Smoke (MP3)
DOWNLOADWinter Gloves – Plastic Slides (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: El Guincho – “Bombay” (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: El Guincho – FM Tan Sexy (MP3)
DOWNLOADCasiokids – Finn Bikkjen! (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Foals – Spanish Sahara (Deadboy Remix) (MP3)

Casiokids
Casiokids

Didn’t the weeks leading up to CMJ used to be a little calmer? I feel like we’re just going to be pile-driving into that week (Oct 19 -21) with show after worthwhile show. This week / weekend too. Even with Matador 21 and Pop Montreal siphoning lots of big names, this is one of the more more exciting weekends for shows in a long while. For me at least.

Let’s start this week with a contest. As previously mentioned, BV/TWII faves Casiokids play Sunday (10/3) night at Glasslands and we’ve got a pair of tickets to the show plus a copy of the band’s CD, Topp stemning på lokal bar, for one lucky person. To enter, just send an email to [email protected] with the subject line “Casiokids” and we’ll pick a winner at random. Please note that Glasslands is a 21+ venue.

If you’ve never seen these Norwegians before, they’re a lot of fun and Glasslands should be conducive to their low tech brand of dancepop. Also on the bill: Brahms, Bikini and VonChina. All Casiokids dates below.

Film School
Film School

What else? San Francisco’s Film School are in town, playing Glasslands on Thursday (9/30) and Mercury Lounge on Friday (10/1). Both shows are with like-minded New Yorkers The Depreciation Guild with whom they’re going on tour. Film School have been doing the dark shoegazy thing since the start of the ’00s, back when that sound was fairly unfashionable. But these days the ’90s are hot so it’s good timing that Film School have released maybe their best album yet, Fission.

I found 2007’s Hideout to be murky and meandering, but the band seem really focused this time out. There are still the moody basslines and effects-heavy guitars, but the songs great this time out, and the production feels modern and bright. Some rays of light are peeking through their normally cloudy sound — hell, their new single is called “Sunny Day.” (You can watch the video below.) That song features lead vocals from bassist Lorelei Plotczyk, whose frequent presence behind the mic is one of the reasons Fission works so much better than Hideout. You can download “Heart Full of Pentagons” at the top of this post.

The Glasslands show also has Brooklyn duo Home Video who have been kicking around for half a decade or so and are set to release their second album, The Automatic Process, on November. Download first single “The Smoke” at the top of this post. I don’t think I’ve seen them play live since they opened for Fujiya & Miyagi at Mercury Lounge back in 2006 but I remember thinking they were pretty good. And the new album sounds alright after a couple listens — synthpop that seems equally inspired by Vince Clark and Thom Yorke.

Kelley Stoltz
Kelley Stoltz

While we’re in San Francisco, a reminder that Sonny and the Sunsets and Kelley Stoltz will be here this weekend: Mercury Lounge on Thursday(9/30) and Union Hall on Friday (10/1). Both shows are early ones, especially the Merc show which starts at 7PM. If you like ’60s inspired pop at it’s finest, do yourself a favor and go see this great double bill.

Stoltz is a charismatic performer, prone to anecdotes, occasional props and obscure impressions. Do pick up is terrific new album, To Dreamers, when it comes out in two weeks. And I’m really looking forward to seeing Sonny and the Sunsets (of which Stoltz is a member) for the first time. Their new album is great. Check out tracks from both of them at the top of this post.

Sub Pop just released a short film on the making of Stoltz new record, To Dreamers, made by the Yours Truly folks, which shows off his literal DIY approach to analog recording. It’s funny and charming, just like Stoltz. Watch it further down this very post.

Winter Gloves
Winter Gloves

If you’re not going to Pop Montreal this weekend, you can get a taste of Canada here in New York as Born Ruffians and Winter Gloves are here playing the Knitting Factory on Friday (10/1) and Bowery Ballroom on Saturday (10/2). Born Ruffians are a fine band but have been covered many times here and have been through town many times before. So I’m gonna focus on their touring mates Winter Gloves. The Montrealers schedule and cancel NYC gigs with frequency so now’s your chance to see them.

I caught them at M for Montreal in 2008 and they were one of the highlights of that weekend, kind of a slinkier, funkier Tokyo Police Club. Their new album All Red is a lot of fun and they are definitely worth seeing. (They’re quite popular in MTL.) Download “Plastic Slides” from the new album at the top of this post.

Foals
Foals

The show I’m most excited about this weekend is Foals who play Bowery Ballroom on Friday (10/1) and Music Hall of Williamsburg on Saturday (10/2). Both shows are sold out unfortunately, but tickets being released day-of-show isn’t an uncommon occurrence.

Foals’ new album, Total Life Forever, is one of my contenders for Album of the Year which is not something I was really expecting before I heard it. Where their first album, Antidotes, was all mathy angularity, Total Life Forever has…um… soul? There’s also a Big ’80s Trevor Horn vibe going on — the drums on single “Miami” seem to be lifted from Yes’ 90125 LP. (Or maybe The Power Station.) It’s funky and genuinely danceable, with a lot of heart. Foals used to be easy to like hard to love. Not so hard this time out.

Foals have always been good live, full of nervous energy — they’re the only band I’ve ever seen puke onstage — and can’t wait to see them with such stronger material.  I can’t wait for Saturday.

If you’re going to the Bowery show on Friday, definitely get there in time to see openers Esben & the Witch who just signed to Matador and are a bit like Zola Jesus but more interesting to watch live. Their guitarist has the most pedals I’ve ever seen not counting The Edge. They were pretty good at Glasslands last week.

El Guincho
El Guincho

And finally, El Guincho returns to NYC this week for a string of shows that began last night at Mercury Lounge. He plays Santos tonight (9/29), a free show at Zebulon on Thursday (9/30) and a late night show at Cameo on Friday (10/1).  When I saw him play two years ago at Mercury Lounge opening for Cut Copy it was just Pablo Díaz-Reixa and his sampler, but this time El Guincho is a trio which should make things a lot more interesting and fun.

El Guincho’s new album, Pop Negro, eschews the dreamlike haze of his debut (which was a real precursor to the chillwave invasion) for more straight up dance pop that is definitely not low-fi. In his own words:

It’s a pop album sung in Spanish. Tracks are based on big syncopated beats, loud kick drums, snares and claps on a very wide stereo image full of different synthesizer timbres, subdivided hi-hats, funk bass, line recorded guitars and multi tracked backing vocals. Production is based on hi-fi aesthetics from the golden era of recordings…the main sentiment is a sort of nostalgic love for the music that I heard on FM radio as a kid/teenager, that “promise” that music gives you, not eternal/eternity because pop music is not supposed to be like that, but that thing you feel when you’re on a car with your friends or family and you listen to a certain hit and it makes you think you want to be inside of that. I wanted to write something based on that. Not plain hits, but a whole album that makes you feel that thing, arrangements that can take your mind that state if you know what I mean.

You can download two tracks off Pop Negro at the top of this post.

That’s gonna do it for this week. A few daily picks not covered above follow:

WEDNESDAY, September 29

Best Coast swing through town again, playing Bowery Ballroom tonight (and MHoW tomorrow). Summer may be over, but Bethany’s songs of love and weed still sound good.

If you didn’t get enough ’90s nostalgia last week with Pavement, former indie rock power couple Juliana Hatfield & Evan Dando (they did date, right?)perform together as Jullianna & Evan.  Julianna has intimated she might retire from live shows in the near future, this seems like a good way to see her one last time. They play Thursday too. Both shows are sold out, natch.

THURSDAY, September 30

The forecast is calling for “rain from Tropical Rainstorm” which might put a damper on the night’s biggest show, Belle & Sebastian, who play the Williamsburg Waterfront with fellow Glaswegians Teenage Fanclub. A light sprinkle would be fine…B&S’ music has always been sort of rainy day music anyway. If you ponyed up the dough for a ticket, do get there early for Teenage Fanclub who were phenomenal at Bowery Ballroom last night. Big hooks, bigger harmonies, positive vibes. Video of them playing Jimmy Fallon is at the bottom of this post.

FRIDAY, October 1

Pennsylvania dream pop band SOARS play Glasslands. Haven’t seen them live, but if you’re a fan of Slowdive or bands that sound kind of like that, you might want to check them out.

SATURDAY, October 2

Union Hall has a totally weird lineup tonight. Headlining is synthpop act Neighbors, with Year of the Tiger (kind of a more tuneful, less abrasive Sleigh Bells). So far so normal. But opening is Sky Ferreira, who has appeared in Uffie videos and is, if her Myspace is any indication, being bred as a Pop Star. Expect lots of old guys in suits at the show, at least till she finishes her set.

OK that’s really it for this week. Tour dates, videos and flyers are below…

Kelley Stoltz – To Dreamers

Kelley Stoltz / Sonny & the Sunsets – 2010 Tour Dates
Wednesday, September 29 T.T.The Bears, Cambridge MA
Thursday, September 30 Mercury Lounge, New York City NY
Friday, October 1 Union Hall, Brooklyn NY
Sunday, October 3 DC9, Washington D.C. D.C.
Friday, October 15 Cafe du Nord, San Francisco CA
Monday, October 18 Crocodile, The, Seattle WA
Thursday, October 21 Cellar Door (CA), Visalia CA

Sonny & the Sunsets – Additional 2010 Tour Dates
10/26 San Francisco, CA Great American Music Hall #
10/28 Portland, OR Holocene #
10/29 Vancouver, BC Cobalt #
10/30 Seattle, WA Neumo’s #
10/31 Spokane, WA Stage 54 #&
11/2 Salt Lake City, UT Urban Lounge #
11/3 Denver, CO Bluebird #
11/5 Dallas, TX Granada #$
11/6 Houston, TX Mango’s #
11/9 Phoenix, AZ Rhythm Room #
11/10 San Diego, CA Casbah #
11/11 Los Angeles, CA Echo ^
11/12 Los Angeles, CA Echoplex *
# = w/ Best Coast
& = w/ No Joy
$ = w/ Deerhunter & Casino Versus Japan
^ = w/ Tennis
* = w/ The Pains of Being At Heart


Kelley Stoltz – Additional 2010 dates
Saturday, December 4 Academy Birmingham, Birmingham United Kingdom
Monday, December 6 Oxford Academy, Oxford United Kingdom
Tuesday, December 7 Ritz, Manchester United Kingdom
Wednesday, December 8 Glasgow Academy, Glasgow United Kingdom
Thursday, December 9, Brixton Academy, London United Kingdom
Saturday, December 11 Liverpool Olympia, Liverpool United Kingdom
Sunday, December 12 Liverpool Olympia, Liverpool United Kingdom
All shows w/ Echo and the Bunnymen

Film School – Sunny Day

Film School – 2010 Tour Dates
Sept 28 – Washington, DC – DC9*
Sept 29 – Philadelphia, PA – Johnny Brenda’s*
Sept 30 – Brooklyn, NY – Glasslands*
Oct 01 – New York, NY – Mercury Lounge*
Oct 02 – Cambridge, MA – TT The Bears *
Oct 03 – Montreal, QC, Canada – Pop Montreal at Casa Del Popolo*
Oct 04 – Toronto, ON, Canada – El Mocambo*
Oct 06 – St Louis, MO – Firebird *
Oct 07 – Newport, KY – Southgate House*
Oct 08 – Chicago, IL – Schubas Tavern *
Oct 09 – Milwaukee, WI – The Cactus Club *
Oct 10 – Minneapolis, MN – 7th Street Entry *
Oct 11 – Omaha, NE – The Waiting Room *
Oct 12 – Denver, CO – Hi Dive *
Oct 13 – Salt Lake City, UT – Urban Lounge *
Oct 15 – Seattle, WA – Sunset Tavern *
Oct 16 – Portland, OR – Mississippi Studios *
Oct 19 – San Francisco, CA – The Independent#
Oct 20 – Santa Cruz – The Crepe Place#
Oct 21 – Los Angeles, CA – The Echo#
* w/ The Depreciation Guild
# w/ Love Like Fire

Foals – 2 Trees

Foals – 2010 Tour Dates
Sep 29 Paradise Rock Club Boston, MA
Oct 1 Bowery Ballroom New York, NY
Oct 2 Music Hall of Williamsburg Brooklyn, NY
Oct 3 Black Cat Washington, DC
Oct 5 The Masquerade Atlanta, GA
Oct 6 Club Downunder Tallahassee, FL
Oct 8 Fitzgerald’s Houston, TX
Oct 10 ACL Music Festival, Zilka Park – SOLD OUT!!! Austin, Texas
Oct 12 Larimer Lounge Denver, CO
Oct 14 The Casbah San Diego, CA
Oct 16 Foro Sol/Autodromo Hermanos Mexico City, DF
Oct 18 El Rey Theatre Los Angeles, CA
Oct 19 The Blank Club San Jose, CA
Oct 21 Doug Fir Lounge Portland, OR
Oct 22 Venue Vancouver, BC, CANADA
Oct 29 Leeds O2 Academy w/ Toro Y Moi & Pet Moon Leeds, LEEDS, UNITED KINGDOM
Oct 30 Manchester Academy – SOLD OUT Manchester, MANCHESTER, UNITED KINGDOM
Oct 31 Edinburgh HMV Picture House w/ Toro Y Moi & Pet Moon Edinburgh, EDINBURGH, UNITED KINGDOM
Nov 2 Glasgow O2 Academy w/ Toro Y Moi & Pet Moon Glasgow, GLASGOW, UNITED KINGDOM
Nov 3 Birmingham O2 Academy w/ Toro Y Moi & Trophy Wife Birmingham, BIRMINGHAM, UNITED KINGDOM
Nov 4 Bristol O2 Academy – SOLD OUT Bristol, BRISTOL, UNITED KINGDOM
Nov 6 Nottingham Rock City w/ Crystal Fighters & Trophy Wife Nottingham, NOTTINGHAM, UNITED KINGDOM
Nov 7 Southampton Guildhall w/ Crystal Fighters & Trophy Wife Southampton, S’HAMPTON, UNITED KINGDOM
Nov 8 Brighton Dome w/ Crystal Fighters & Trophy Wife Brighton, BRIGHTON, UNITED KINGDOM
Nov 10 Norwich UEA w/ Crystal Fighters & Pulled Apart By Horses Norwich, NORWICH, UNITED KINGDOM
Nov 11 Lincoln Engine Shed w/ Crystal Fighters & Pulled Apart By Horses Lincoln, LINCOLN, UNITED KINGDOM
Nov 12 Brixton O2 Academy w/ Crystal Fighters & Pulled Apart By Horses – SOLD OUT!!! London, LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM
Nov 15 Olympia Dublin, UNITED KINGDOM
Nov 16 Splendid w/ The Invisible Lille, XX, FRANCE
Nov 17 Olympic w/ The Invisible Nantes, XX, FRANCE
Nov 19 Cooperative De Mai w/ The Invisible Clermont Ferrand, XX, FRANCE
Nov 20 Theatre Barbey w/ The Invisible Bordeaux, XX, FRANCE
Nov 21 Bikini w/ The Invisible Toulouse, XX, FRANCE
Nov 23 Ninkasi Kao w/ The Invisible Lyon, XX, FRANCE
Nov 24 La Laiterie w/ The Invisible Strasbourg, XX, FRANCE
Nov 25 Elysee Montmartre – SOLD OUT Paris, FRANCE
Nov 27 Botaniques w/ The Invisible Brussels, XX, BELGIUM
Nov 29 Melkweg w/ The Invisible Amsterdam, XX, NETHERLANDS
Nov 30 Kesselhaus w/ The Invisible Berlin, XX, GERMANY
Dec 1 Markthalle w/ The Invisible Hamburg, XX, GERMANY
Dec 3 Vega w/ The Invisible Copenhagen, XX, DENMARK
Dec 4 Parken w/ The Invisible Gothenburg, XX, SWEDEN
Dec 6 Live Music Hall w/ The Invisible Cologne, XX, GERMANY
Dec 7 Backsatge Werk w/ The Invisible Munich, XX, GERMANY
Dec 8 Fri-Son w/ The Invisible Fribourg, XX, SWITZERLAND
Dec 10 All Tomorrow’s Parties Somerset, XX, UNITED KINGDOM
Dec 31 HMV Forum New Years Show London, UNITED KINGDOM

Winter Gloves – Takeaway show

Winter Gloves – 2010 Tour Dates
Sep 29 Middle East Downstairs w/ Born Ruffians Cambridge, MA
Sep 30 Iron Horse w/ Born Ruffians Northampton, MA
Oct 1 Knitting Factory w/ Born Ruffians Brooklyn, NY
Oct 2 Bowery Ballroom w/ Born Ruffians New York, NY
Oct 3 Johnny Brendas w/ Born Ruffians Philadelphia, PA
Oct 4 Ottobar w/ Born Ruffians Baltimore, MD
Oct 5 Rock and Roll Hotel w/ Born Ruffians Washington, DC
Oct 6 Random Row Books w/ Born Ruffians Charlottesville, VA
Oct 7 Local 506 w/ Born Ruffians Chapel Hill, NC
Oct 8 The Earl w/ Born Ruffians Atlanta, GA
Oct 9 Bottletree w/ Born Ruffians Birmingham, AL
Oct 10 Backbooth w/ Born Ruffians Orlando, FL
Oct 11 Club Downunder w/ Born Ruffians Tallahassee, FL
Oct 27 The Biltmore Cabaret Vancouver, BC, CANADA
Oct 28 The Habitat Kelowna, BC, CANADA
Oct 30 Palomino Smokehouse Calgary, AB, CANADA
Oct 31 Haven Social Club Edmonton, AB, CANADA
Nov 2 Amigo’s Saskatoon, SK, CANADA
Nov 3 The Lo Pub Winnipeg, MB, CANADA
Nov 4 Crocks Thunder Bay, ON, CANADA
Nov 5 Loplop Lounge & Gallery Sault Ste. Marie, ON, CANADA
Nov 6 The Townehouse Sudbury, ON, CANADA
Nov 10 Casbah Hamilton, ON, CANADA
Nov 11 Mansion House St. Catharines, ON, CANADA
Nov 12 The Horseshoe Tavern Toronto, On, CANADA
Nov 20 Moulin Neuf Terrebonne, QC, CANADA
Nov 25 Le Cercle Québec, QC, CANADA

El Guincho – 2010 Tour Dates
9/28 New York NY Mercury Lounge
9/29 New York NY Santo’s (Que Bajo)
9/30 New York NY Zebulon
10/1 New York NY Cameo Gallery
10/6 Los Angeles CA La Cita (Mucho Wed)
10/7 Los Angeles CA Standard
10/8 Los Angeles CA Spaceland
10/9 San Francisco CA Elbo Room

Casiokids – 2010 Tour Dates
OCT 1 Washington DC, DC9
OCT 3 New York, Glasslands Gallery
OCT 5 USA, San Francisco, Bottom of the Hill
OCT 7 Los Angeles, Spaceland – FILTER Magazine’s Culture Collide Festival
Nov 20 Bingo’n Lillehammer, ., NORWAY
Nov 25 Train w/Vinnie Who Århus, DENMARK
Nov 26 Studenterhuset w/Vinnie Who Aalborg, DENMARK
Nov 27 Store Vega w/Vinnie Who Copenhagen, DENMARK
Dec 7 La Cartonnerie Reims, ., FRANCE
Dec 9 La Condition Publique Roubaix, ., FRANCE
Dec 29 Revolver w/Neon Indian Melbourne, ., AUSTRALIA
Dec 31 Falls Festival Marion Bay, Tasmania, AUSTRALIA

Teenage Fanclub – Baby Lee live on Jimmy Fallon