The Seattle four-piece The Hoot Hoots have a host of shows coming up, and their flashy, out of control pop sensibilities will be on display around the Northwest in the coming weeks.  Their sonic melange is intricate and dense, and their influences are particularly well used in their songs.  The upbeat, overwhelming orchestral compositions of Neutral Milk Hotel are a definite reference point, but what they take from The Unicorns I find even more noteworthy.  What The Unicorns did so well that The Hoot Hoots have paid attention to is related to song structure.  The Unicorns hardly, if ever, repeat lyrics; their choruses are never standard fare.  And when considering this from a songwriting perspective, the transitions and overall flow of a song is directly influenced by the very inclination to infuse this variety.  What I’m also impressed with is their ability to boisterously belt lyrics about outer space and somehow seem tender at times as well- even in the same song.  They’re a strange amalgam of influences, that bunch, and really, they are an incredible live band. 

    •    Sep 21    John’s Alley
      Moscow, ID

    •    Sep 23
    Hogan’s Pub
     Clarkston, WA

    •    Sep 24
    Raw Space
       Ellensburg, WA

    •    Oct 06
     High Dive
          Seattle, WA

    •    Nov 05
    Benbow Room
  Seattle, WA

    •    Dec 17
    Benbow Room
  Seattle, WA

 

Avant-indie/electro-dub Brooklyn trio Keepaway, featured on the cover of The Deli Magazine’s 24th issue just about one year ago, will perform at Glasslands this Friday, September 23 with Philly-based Work Drugs’ (it’s their New York City debut), Wild Vibes, and Big Spider’s Back. Their LP "Black Flute" (for which they diligently raised significant funds to produce) is finally underway and should see the light in the fall. Keepaway are also announcing their involvement in the 2012 Weezer Cruise, a floating music festival on the Carnival cruise ship "Destiny", sailing from Miami to Cozumel. Man, that sounds like an awesome (and expensive) idea! – Gina Alioto

We’ve been following Leah Siegel for at least two years, after some of our friends who book bands in NYC’s venues directed our ears towards her music by voting her (for two years in a row) as one of NYC’s Best Emerging Artists of the Year – she placed 36th in the latest edition. Leah has been working on a new project called Firehorse, which sounds (and also looks) like a departure from her previous alt rock oriented material. From what we can hear from "Our Hearts" – the only track available online – Firehorse offers us a new, sexier sound, and from the band’s press pictures we can’t help but notice also a welcome sunnier look. Nonetheless, some kind of darkness seems to inhabit Leah’s wonderful voice and songwriting, and this is luckily not watered down but brought to the next level in "Our Hearts". The sparse electronic arrangements, the warbly synthetic piano sound, the mechanical electronic drums, and the strong, sad melody lines confer to this melancholic song an existential quality reminiscent of the slower material by Radiohead and Peter Gabriel. We are looking forward to listening to the entire record. Don’t miss Firehorse CD release party at Rockwood Music Hall on 09.29

Cassorla is one of those bands that wouldn’t exist without the internet – its members split between NYC, Philly and LA. (How the heck did Pavement pull it off in the pre-internet era, we’ll never know…) The trio plays some very interesting kind of… math-psych-folk or something? Their sparse tracks indulge in odd and weird tempos – a little bit like Syd Barrett’s crooked solo stuff. You’ll also find some country elements, occasional dreamy parts, and tastefully layered sonic textures. Everything though is dominated by strong, intriguing melodies, and a voice that flirts with grotesque – here’s some personality! This is very original stuff full of character, and also very enjoyable. The band has just put out this first single/video from their debut EP, and will celebrate its release (and first show ever!) on Monday, September 26th at The Bootleg Theater in LA with Light FM, Big Moves and Monte Mar. Be there!

Self described as "campfire tin Can folk-punk," check out the title track off the debut album from The Heart Pills–"To Paul, From Dad 1951." "He’d Tell the girls he loved them, and then he’d break their hearts. He had a treasure chest he filled with all their body parts! … I said, ‘Now son, don’t you feel sad?’ He says, "Have you not seen? The only thing I feel dear dad is mean mean mean!’" – (as posted in The Deli’s Open Blog – post your band’s entries, videos, and Mp3s here).

Emerging from Brooklyn’s crowded field of shoegaze-influenced artists comes the unique vocal talent of Shana Falana. The current weekly residency at Pete’s Candy Store for the month of September (there are two more shows, the 21st and 28th at 10:00 pm) is leading up to her the release show for her new EP ""In The Light" on October 6 at Shea Stadium. Produced by Kevin McMahaon (Swants, Titus Andronicus) and mixed by Gareth Jones (Grizzly Bear, Mogwai, Interpol) the record perfectly captures what Shana does best: positive music of wonderment and discovery. Inspired by Bulgarian folk music, her sound often reflects the genre’s asymmetrical rhythms. “Light The Fire”is hypnotic, chill-enducing and powerful. “In The Light” presents vocals that are pure and straightforward, with diction having only the slightest of creative affectation (“everything” becomes “Av-erything”). A strong cello undercurrent allows Shana to soar above with multi-layered choruses of her own vocals. Never unappealing sleigh bells usher in “Yeah Yeah.” An even more ethereal choir sings those words to varying patterns. The guitars begin to chunk along and the drums thunder in kind. Her vocal production embraces the same cathedrals Simon & Garfunkel explored during their finest moments (think “Only Living Boy In NYC”). Catch Shana at one of her upcoming shows for a truly rewarding listening experience. – Dave Cromwell

Over the course of four years, The Beets have become one of the most popular lo-fi bands in NYC, which is a noteworthy achievement, considering how crowded that scene is in the Big Apple. The trio has already released two full-length LPs and three singles on NY label Captured Tracks, opened for their "spiritual fathers" Pavement, and toured with Vivian Girls and Mountain Goats amongst others. They just signed with a new label, Seattle based Hardly Art (part of Sub Pop), home to records by Hunx & His Punx and Seapony amongst others. The band will play Skylight West Rooftop on 09.19 (tonight).

Mp3: The Beets: "Doing As I Do"

Seattle Weekly’s Reverb Festival is right around the corner.  And, as usual, there are many fantastic, spacey, shoegaze-bent bands getting ready to grace the stages around Ballard.  Witch Gardens are quite possibly the cream of this crop.  They’re a smooth, minimalist pop quintet, with simple drum beats, well-honed harmonies, and interesting guitar licks that don’t grow tired or regurgitate a lot of the girl-group hooks prevalent in their genre.  Witch Gardens’ June 30th LP debut Alice, Agatha, Branch & Christ definitely has affinities with the latest release from the Cults, but is probably more closely related to the Vivian Girls’ work, albeit a more relaxed, less angsty side of the Darger dubbed band.  They play Oct. 8th at the NY Fashion Academy stage from 9:30-10:15pm.     

Seattle Weekly’s Reverb Festival is right around the corner.  And, as usual, there are many fantastic, spacey, shoegaze-bent bands getting ready to grace the stages around Ballard.  Witch Gardens are quite possibly the cream of this crop.  They’re a smooth, minimalist pop quartet, with simple drum beats, well-honed harmonies, and interesting guitar licks that don’t grow tired or regurgitate a lot of the girl-group hooks prevalent in their genre.  Witch Gardens’ June 30th LP debut Alice, Agatha, Branch & Christ definitely has affinities with the latest release from the Cults, but is probably more closely related to the Vivian Girls’ work, albeit a more relaxed, less angsty side of the Darger dubbed band.  They play Oct. 8th at the NY Fashion Academy stage from 9:30-10:15pm.     

“The highly anticipated self-titled debut album from Wild Flag, the 4-piece Portland, OR- and Washington, DC-based rock group including Carrie Brownstein, Mary Timony, Rebecca Cole and Janet Weiss, is in stores now! Featuring members of Sleater-Kinney, Quasi, Helium, the Minders and Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks to name just a few, Wild Flag premiered with a tour of small west coast rock clubs in the fall of 2010.” –Courtesy of Merge Records.

To celebrate the release, Merge Records is giving away a trip for two to New York City, where you catch Wild Flag live at the Bowery Ballroom. Click here for details.

In case you aren’t the lucky winner, you can still catch them at the Black Cat on Oct. 20. In the meantime, check out this rad video for the sweet track “Romance” off Wild Flag, below.

This Saturday Brooklyn’s own Paper Garden Records is throwing an-end-of-summer party–Multiverse Playground part III, "an exploration into the evolution of music, art and comedy." The event, which begins at noon, will feature 19 acts (some local favorites include EULA, Data Dog, Caged Animals (in the picture), GunFight! and Team Genius). The event will also include comedy, art, and DJ sets from Delicate Steve and Bear Hands. Sponsors include Thinglink, Grooveshark, and Livetapp, and there will be free PBR and VitaminWater on hand! There’s not much summer left, so you owe it to yourself to check this out! Plus, you can always replenish your electrolytes with VitaminWater after indulging in as many PBRs as possible. The event takes place at 104 Emerson Place in Brooklyn, and goes from noon to 11pm.