We introduced these new promising Brooklynites to our readers here back in May, they just premiered this video for "Wet Cement", fashioned after a scene from Francoise Truffaut’s 1960’s film, "Shoot The Piano Player". Pursesnatchers, which features members of Au Revoire Simone and Dirty on Purpose, will be celebrating the release of their debut CD "A Pattern Language" at Union Hall on July 22.

Borrowing in equal measure from the bubble gum ballads of the 60s and the decadent atmospheres through which – during that same decade – The Velvet Underground were implicitly fustigating that music and a few other things, The Echo-Friendly’s new single "Same Mistakes" is pretty much a contradiction in terms. The band’s sound, also because of the addition of a female voice, has obviously evolved tremendously since the debut EP "Still Not Sorry", released at the end of 2010, which was faithful to the dark ballad format, but carried much stronger rootsy influences. The single was released a few weeks ago on Cantora Records. The foursome is well into completing its first EP, expected to come out this fall.

Sam Mickens has, since his teen years, been a shadowy figure operating across the landscape of international pop music with an experimental edge, in groups The Dead Science (Constellation Recording artists), Xiu Xiu (which he’s recently rejoined and for whom he’s presently composing new material) and Degenerate Art Ensemble, and acting as a sideman/guest musician with artists ranging from Daniel Johnston to Carla Bozulich. Additionally, for the past few years he’s been extremely active composing music for large-scale modern dance works by a number of choreographers, as well as creating his own epic performance works, both as co-chair of the now-defunct Villainaires Academy and most recently under his own name. He presently lives in Brooklyn, NY, where he leads his large ensemble Sam Mickens Ecstatic Showband & Revue. You can see him live at Silent Barn on July 30.

Aeroplane Pageant make music that’s not easy to pigeonhole into genres – which is a good thing, even though this makes the reviewer’s life a little harder. There is definitely a hefty amount of electronic and effected instruments here, in an overall "prog" aural enviroment, but not of the cheesy kind. The suffix "prog" in this case can be described as a playful, "ear-friendly" (or "pop" if you wish) experimentation. That’s probably why a lot of music writers seem to hear in Aeroplane Pageant’s music something reminiscent of The Beatles… Which is really a misleading comparison in my opinion, because these guys are way more out there in terms of song structure and overall complexity of the arrangements. This is pop with a non-pop structure, so basically a rather unique musical paradox, and the song in this newly released video "Help Me Shoot This Apple Off My Head" is a perfect example of this.
Aeroplane Pageant will be celebrating the release of their new album "Float Above The Yard" at Mercury Lounge on Auguts 12.