And Then Some Days We Get Awesome Mail 15

Did we ever tell you our college pal Brandon has a record store in Ventura, California? Truth be told, it's his dad's store, a store with a very strong history. But Brando is firmly ensconced in the family business, too. We were chuffed to receive today this tasteful T so we can represent Salzer's here on the (sweltering) east coast. We've never been to Ventura, but you can bet Salzer's will be stop numero uno if and when we ever make it that way. In the meantime, one can interface with them in an extracorporeal fashion via the Fakebooks right here. On the bizarre off-chance you have no independent record store to support, you go ahead and support Salzer's. Tell them we sent you, and perhaps Brandon will complain about me making everyone listen to Silkworm's In The West over and over for an entire semester back in the '90s.

Today's Hotness: Her Parents, Scott & Charlene's Wedding



>> Our executive editor last August described U.K. spazz-pop band Her Parents' music as "hypercaffeinated," and we can't turn our back on that apt summation. It simply nails the band and its sound too well to ignore it, and it applies as firmly to the early tune "Justin Vernon" as it does to the latest album from the quartet. Her Parents, hailing from London, released May 20 the breathlessly brief long-player Happy Birthday on the beloved Alcopop! label. As we wrote here in March, the new set is so brief that it is pressed to one side of a vinyl 12" with the band's debut LP Physical Product pressed to the flip. Consider the new collection a State of the Union address for a band that has cut its teeth on strong digital singles (the aforementioned "Justin Vernon" and the ludicrously genius "Why Don't You Just Fuck Off?") and blinding passion; it also evidences the evolution of a chaotic-yet-tuneful blend of punk rock that makes this band so vital and worthy of attention. Like caffeine, Her Parents push and prod both body and mind, while reminding listeners just what a punk-influenced tune can be capable of. Lead album single "Lithuanian Mercedes" is a great case study. The tune clocks in at just over a minute and a quarter, yet is crammed with a full arsenal of snotty pub jeers, jarring halts, post-hardcore guitar lines, dramatic ambient backing vocals and a grinding chorus that is over before one can regain her senses. The sarcastic sense of play, the upbeat melodies and caterwauling tempos are delivered with a curious aggression that the band seems to revel in. Happy Birthday is all delightfully disorienting, to be sure, but it also showcases a group of musical minds that can take the high road by bludgeoning its audience with crafty intelligence as surely as it does with adolescent, brute force. Simply put, Her Parents is the kind of band the world needs. Stream "Lithuanian Mercedes" via the Soundcloud embed below, stream all of Happy Birthday at Bandcamp here, and buy Happy Birthday from Alcopop! right here. -- Edward Charlton



>> Australia is totally killing it right now in the indie rock department, in case you haven't noticed. The immense success of Tame Impala makes it the latest act to illuminate the land down under in the minds of indie fans the world over. But that's not to say Tame Impala is the only antipodean outfit making waves right at the now. Indie pop concern Scott & Charlene's Wedding, spawned in Oz but now operating out of New York, recently upped its profile with the cracking single "Fakin NYC." The tune arrives in advance of the act's sophomore LP Any Port In A Storm, which is slated for release July 22nd via Fire Records on CD, vinyl and digital. Scott & Charlene's Wedding, fronted by Craig Dermody, clearly mines a well-traveled indie rock lineage. The biting, distorted guitars and arch lyricism of "Fakin NYC" pleasantly echo prodigal slacker kings Pavement or the lo-fi pop stylings of fellow countrymen Twerps. "Fakin NYC" was inspired in part by Dermody's awkward experiences upon moving to New York City. Channeling real-life tales of security guard jobs and grating interactions with snobby New York types, the song presents a moodier attitude than the usual slacker-pop fare, but not so moody that it soaks the pop thrills propounded by scritchy guitars and shouty vocals. The band will be supporting Any Port In A Storm with a lengthy tour in Europe for much of the summer (peruse the tour dates here); there's no word yet on North American dates. Pre-order Any Port In A Storm right here. Clicky Clicky previously wrote about Scott & Charlene's Wedding's Two Weeks 10" here in March. -- Dillon Riley

New Music Night 10 with DJs Brad Almanac + Jay Clicky Clicky | River Gods | 30 May

So the endless winter ended. Unless you live in that one place in upstate New York that just got 34 inches of snow. But you don't live there, do you? You don't even know where that town is. Hopefully, a fair lot of you live proximal to Cambridge, Massachusetts, where New Music Night returns for its TENTH manifestation Thursday, May 30, at River Gods. Your faithful aural tour guides de rock for NMN continue to be Brad of Bradley's Almanac and Jay of Clicky Clicky, and it all happens from 9PM-1AM. We've been collecting and weighing the relative merits of all of the newest, bestest music for the last 60 days or so, and we are excited to share with you all the fruits of our research: new music, and even more music so new it is not even new yet... it is in like a primordial, gaseous state, dark matter. Sunspots. Plate tectonics. Gargamel. For a sense of what you're getting into, check out Brad's playlist from the March event, or our very own. Solid. Sold? Thinking about it? Here's the Facebook event page, why not click on over and pledge your allegiance?

This one's for Rock.

River Gods
125 River Street
Cambridge, MA
MAP

Accessible via Red Line at Central Square.

That Was The Show That Was: Lilys | Lilypad | 25 May



[PHOTO CREDIT: Jack Stapleton] Just because there are no words doesn't mean we're not going to sit here and type them out anyway. Seriously, if you had told us this was ever going to happen, that we'd be sitting with friends (literally sitting) in the front row of a venue whose legal capacity is less than 100 people, sitting about 10 feet from Kurt Heasley as he led his current iteration of Lilys through a mid-sized set of jams dating from the legendary band's first five or six years, we just wouldn't believe you. Even after we witnessed it, and the last note of the closer "February Fourteenth" had been dampened, the players yanking plugs and smiling quietly at one another, even then, we turned to our compatriots and said, "I can't believe that just happened," into the eery silence that followed a five-song set by one of the greatest indie rock bands of all time. Even the announcement of the show was a jaw-dropping revelation; after all, we've been Lilys fans for 20 years. We'd just spent six months prepping a Lilys tribute comp, and had released it Monday. Now Lilys were playing in our sorta hometown on Saturday? It was too good to be true.

Just as we prepared to launch our Lilys tribute compilation And I Forgot A Long Time Ago How You Feel last weekend, an acquaintance got in touch to say Lilys, the long-running, shape-shifting guitar-pop unit helmed by nomadic genius Heasley was planning a warm-up show for its full-band, June 11 appearance at Chickfactor 21. And they were planning on having the show Saturday. And they were having the show five miles from our house, in a tiny venue, a tiny venue with very close residential neighbors, a tiny room whose place in history is likely solidified by a number of things, not the least of which is it was the first Boston space -- back when it was called Zeitgeist Gallery -- to host Arcade Fire. And the venue, The Lilypad, memorably hosted a Beirut show some years ago that drew substantial complaints about the noise. So now, tonight, this was going to be the venue that was playing host to Heasley's latest incarnation of Lilys, an incarnation promising to deliver a "noisy" set of rockers in Brooklyn in a few weeks? Are you kidding? When we arrived at the venue and once we had gotten situated, we turned to find the bar manned by Heasley himself. It was surrealism of Lewis Carroll-esque proportions. We bought a beer from Heasley; he expressed some excitement at the release of And I Forgot A Long Time Ago How You Feel. It was a lot to take in.

But it was true, and Lilys delivered in a big way. Heasley assumed his usual role up front with a guitar, closing his eyes and focusing as he delivered words into the microphone with increasing fervor. He was abetted by a second guitarist, a bass player, an organist and a drummer, an alternately lanky and hairy bunch who performed reverent but ecstatically rocking versions of Lilys classics. We're certain these are heavily credentialed sidemen, but we took some comfort from the fact that our very knowledgeable friend could name none of the players standing with Heasley (this made us feel less out of touch). The band deftly faded out of the music plugged through the PA and directly into the fabled "Claire Hates Me." That epic tune was quickly followed by "Ginger," and then, after a quick guitar change due to a broken string, Heasley and company ploughed headlong into "Can't Make Your Life Better," "Baby's A Dealer," and, as a closer, Lilys' debut single "February Fourteenth." It was amazing, a koan realized. It was loud, although not terribly loud. Fans who bought tickets for Chickfactor 21 should be verily psyched. The legend lives. The performance raised a fair number of questions in our mind as well, such as: why is Heasley, a songwriter whose determination to change seems to be as pronounced as the blazing speed at which is mind works, why has Heasley decided to finally look back? We hope to put these questions to Kurt sometime in the near future, but for now, all we can do is revel in the glow of an incredible show.

That set list again:

Lilys -- The Lilypad -- Cambridge, MA -- 25 May
"Claire Hates Me"
"Ginger"
"Can't Make Your Life Better"
"Baby's A Dealer"
"February Fourteenth"

Lilys: Facebook | Last.fm | MySpazzzz | Wikipedia

Selected Prior Lilys coverage:
A N D I F O R G O T A L O N G T I M E A G O H O W Y O U F E E L
20: Lilys | In The Presence Of Nothing
Today's Hotness: Lilys
Footage: Lilys' "February 14th" Live at Chickfactor | Sept. 22
YouTube Rodeo: Lilys' Amazing "YCJCYAQFTD," "A Nanny In Manhattan," "Baby's A Dealer"
YouTube Rodeo: Lilys' "Ginger" Live And Awesome
Coming To Your Local Bandstand: Lilys' California Mini Tour

Today's Hotness: Joey Fourr, English Singles



>> Maybe, just maybe, the Internet can help perpetuate mysteries, despite the regular bemoaning we hear from oldsters about the fabled age when much of what was known about underground acts could only be gleaned via rumor or a hard-to-get 'zine. Take, for instance, the latest pleasingly spooky enigma from Joey Fourr. Readers will recall that moniker is the nom de rock of Joseph Prendergast, erstwhile fronter of the late, great Tubelord. Fast on the heels of a series of five EPs (1, 2, 3, 4, 5) issued over the last 10 months, Joey Fourr returned early this month with the new tune "Wooden Grooves," a contemplative, pulsing number fabricated from open synth drones and icy, layered melodies. We reviewed here Art Is Hard's Pizza Club single featuring Joey Fourr way back in June 2012. While that track, "Cross Dresser," was a fast-paced, low-fidelity rocker, this new effort aims for more hazy and narcotic territory. With its airy, meandering intro, "Wooden Grooves" calls to mind sedate space rock along the lines of that concocted by Arc In Round or even Flying Saucer Attack. As Pendergast's multi-tracked vocals materialize in the stereo field, and forlorn guitar strums drive the rhythm, it becomes apparent that one could even draw a parallel to the moodier, more atmospheric numbers off of Lilys’ spell-binding 1995 collection Eccsame The Photon Band (a quite relevant comparison -- look no further than Arc In Round's contribution to Clicky Clicky's And I Forgot A Long Time Ago How You Feel compilation). The hushed, funereal tone, hints at dream-pop and blurry sonics enable "Wooden Grooves" to strike a firm contrast against "Cross Dresser;" it certainly evidences a broader palette and we think proportionally broadens the appeal of Joey Fourr. In a Facebook post Tuesday, Joey Fourr suggested the possibility of taking a break: "This might be our last gig for a while... After Cardiff I'll be concentrating on writing/releasing a new project which I can't talk about yet but it's gonna be ridickulous..." We’re glad that, for now anyway, Joey Fourr is keeping the mystery alive. Stream "Wooden Grooves" via the Soundcloud embed below. -- Edward Charlton



>> English Singles broke the metaphor machine. This reviewer tried desperately to compare the timelessness of pristine power-pop to that of fine wine, but, guess what? It didn't work out. Because, unlike the tradition and spirit of Sacramento, CA's English Singles and their swinging, recently issued third single "Ordinary Girls," even the finest vintages and varietals will one day degrade. The resolutely buoyant "Ordinary Girls," on the other hand is built to last on the bedrock of pop brilliance. The tune is part of a three-song 7" out now on the venerable Slumberland label, and it continues the fine tradition of pop classicism forged previously by legendary groups such as The Television Personalities and modern antecedents like the defunct D.C. unit Julie Ocean. Quite simply, English Singles revel in the joys of innocent '60s and '80s DIY pop. The recording might fuzz and crackle at the edges, but at the heart of it lead singer Scott Miller's playful, everyman melodies deliver an irresistible charge. Prickly twelve-string guitar leads and callipygian bass unite for a powerful and punchy attack. The chorus is so strong that the band mostly just keep swinging around to it, but the best part happens at roughly the two minute mark when complementary female backing vocals join in to repeat the titular chant. With only three short minutes of music, both the band (and Slumberland) hit it out of the park. Buy the 7" right here. -- Edward Charlton

We Heartily Endorse This Product And / Or Service: The Scrutiny Podcast



Another podcast, ugh. Right? We already were devoted to a nice, small, round number of podcasts before The Scrutiny Podcast came along, and then it had the gall to be intelligent, engaging and funny. So now we have to listen to the goddamn thing every time they make one. In fact, right after we heard the first one in January, we contacted host Cameron Keiber about a possible sponsorship, because Mr. Keiber and be-hatted co-host Richard Bouchard bring a smart, informed and appealingly (that's gotta be a word, right?) unfiltered vantage point to the topics they grapple with. And there is personal growth, man: in this fourth episode, sponsored by Clicky Clicky and embedded below, Keiber actually admits to softening his much-belabored position on Kickstarter! One of the subtexts of The Scrutiny Podcast we love is listening to Keiber kind of work out his own issues with the microphone on. And jeez, let's not forget about Mr. Bouchard, who in Scrutiny Episode IV: A New Hope delivers the following golden quote: "The problem for me [with Kickstarter], is that it annoys me." Which, when we type it out, we suppose, it doesn't look quite as funny as it was when he said it; just trust us.

Episode IV, of course, is not just concerned with Kickstarter. In the second hour guests Katrina Galore, Chris Barrett, Ruby Rose Fox and the intrepid hosts weigh topics including the bizarre crackdown on house shows in Boston by law enforcement (ineptly) posing as rock fans on Facebook; venue licensing weirdness; whether or not local blogs are too nice [fuck you -- Ed.]; and what is the appropriate role of music criticism in a small music ecosystem ("the scene," man). While all of the above is well and good, none of it is our favorite part about Scrutiny. Our favorite part is the chemistry between Keiber and Bouchard: the pair's witty sparring reminds us of the best buddy films, like, say, the modern classic "48 Hrs." We don't want to spoil it, but in the 87th minute of this edition of Scrutiny there is a subtle two-word burn of Keiber delivered by Bouchard that will make you laugh out loud, or "LOL," as the kids say. So go ahead, listen to it. We heartily endorse this product and/or service, The Scrutiny Podcast. Stream it via the embed below, or click the button to download it and take it with you as you walk about doing your thing. Learn more over at the Midriff Records blog and the podcast's Facebook domicile.

Premiere: Winter's Dreamy, Innocent "Bedroom Philosophies"

It seems like it was just 120 days ago, give or take, that we were writing about the excellent debut EP from upstart Boston dream pop outfit Winter. Since the formation of the band late last year, it has expanded from simply a duo comprised of fronter Samira Winter and guitarist/producer Nolan Eley to a quartet that now counts among its number Mr. Eley's Infinity Girl bandmate Kyle Oppenheimer on bass and Slowdim's Ana Karina DaCosta behind the kit. And so it has come to pass that the foursome has created an alluring pastels-and-shadows video for "Bedroom Philosophies," a key track from Winter's late 2012 entry, the Daydreaming EP (which you can still download right here). The truth is we jumped at the opportunity to premiere the clip because the stills we'd seen within our social networks were so pretty and arresting. We are not familiar with contemporary video directors in the least (well, save for our dog Jeff Stern), but the production marshaled here by director Joseph Holcomb is very impressive, as the soft lighting and loose vibe of the talent on-screen jibes perfectly with Winter's sugary amalgamation of '60s girl group and modern dream-pop sounds. Like the duality inherent in the fabled McDonald's McDLT sandwich, a strong part of Winter's allure is the juxtaposition of fun and cool, the former being very strongly visually represented in the video by Ms. Winter and Ms. DaCosta, while Mssrs. Eley and Oppenheimer and their quiet, focused performances bring to bear the latter. We suppose the video clip for "Bedroom Philosophies" is all the more impressive because Mr. Holcomb is still a student, presumably at Emerson College, where the clip was filmed on the sound stage in recent weeks. So what's next for the quartet? Ms. Winter tells Clicky Clicky that the band is preparing to release a single of the song "The View," and that the band will be back playing shows starting at the end of the July with dates planned throughout the end of the summer. We can't wait to hear new music from the act and to finally see them perform live, but in the meantime, settle in to a dreamy Wednesday afternoon with the video embedded above.

Winter: http://daydreamingwinter.com/ | Bandcamp | Twitter