Lucero / Catfish Haven / American Princes - Triple Bill

Great shows seem to come to DC in waves, and this spring appears to be no exception. We've all got our own pet bands -- for example, Rob is excited about Field Music's show on 3/31 and G.L. is anxiously awaiting Peter Bjorn and John at the 9:30 on 4/30 -- and so I'm particularly geeked about the dynamite roots-rock triple bill of Lucero, Catfish Haven, and American Princes coming to the Black Cat on April 6. Get their full tour dates here.

We'll start with first opener American Princes, whose Yep Roc release Less and Less made Magnet's Best of 2006 list. I've been playing it a lot lately, and I'm impressed. The Little Rock, AR band appear to be the most punk of the three, but songs like "Never Grow Old" have the sort of rollicking vocal lines (Spoon, maybe?) that help them retain their pop sensibilities. And is that Elvis Costello I hear in the exasperated heartbreak of "Copper in Sand"?

American Princes - "Stolen Blues"

Catfish Haven are a lean, mean three-piece out of Chicago. They've gotten their fair share of press - Pitchfork, Spin, CMJ - and it appears well-deserved. They have a real nice feel, sort of opposite side of the bar-band coin from the Hold Steady where you can actually see yourself dancing to it. Lead singer George Hunter has a strong voice too, gravelly and strained but still a little sweet. Their latest, Tell Me, came out last September.

Catfish Haven - "Crazy for Leaving"

Finally, frequent-DBT supporting act Lucero round out the bill. The most-rough hewn, down-home of the three, they've also got the fullest sound and -- to my ear -- the sharpest chops. "What Else Would You Have Me Be?" has tinkling-but-epic (think "Layla") piano behind typically buzzing alt. country guitars, with a young, drunk Bob Seger at the helm. Some will say the Truckers influence is there too, but Memphis's Lucero are just another fine, road-tested Southern band very much in touch with their roots. Get their latest, Rebels, Rogues, and Sworn Brothers, here.

Lucero - "I Can Get Us Out of Here Tonight"

Lucero - "The Last Song"

*American Princes photo by Matthew Martin, courtesy of Yep Roc presskit.

This Week in Video

Apparently Yep Roc is re-releasing a Sloan song a day (for 30 days) as a countdown to SXSW. We caught this a little late, but 21 is a much better number than 1, don't you think?

"Last Time"

Again proving the title of this post wrong, Memphis Industries posted this video by our favorite Kiwis, Ruby Suns, two weeks ago. Kind of makes us hungry...

"Sleep in the Garden"

If you haven't seen the video of Arcade Fire's appearance on SNL this past weekend, you may be retarded. Just in case...

"Intervention"

Watch it fast, though. We suspect NBC's hunters have this one in their scope for deletion.


We guess we should post a US band. Again, not released this week, but The Broken West did start their tour on Saturday. Be sure to check out their shows with The Walkmen on 3/23 and with The Long Winters on 4/3, both at the Rock and Roll Hotel.

"Down in the Valley"

Five to Download

Compiled especially for a fine Thursday afternoon, just as we climb out of the mid-winter doldrums, here are five sweet tunes you didn't even know you wanted to download this afternoon:

1. The Telepathic Butterflies - "All Very Hoopla!" Winnipeg Rainbow Quartz band steals the opening lick from Moby Grape's "Omaha" (how very rockist of them?), then reels off three and a half goofy minutes of neo-psych, complete with faux-Brit accents and lyrics about "head space."

2. Portastatic - "I Wanna Know Girls". Sort of like a fraternal twin of Spoon's "Sister Jack", if that means anything to you.
3. Mazarin - "Louise". If you were within earshot of me during the latter half of last year, you probably got an earful about this album from the now-defunct Philly band. But Louise was sort of atypical. Strumming, nearly monotone guitar with Quentin Stoltzfus singing about the girl that appears destined to get away.
4. Cabinessence - "One Way (Or Another)". Folks are calling this band "Glam Parsons." I'll take it. This here's just an ordinary pop song until the falsetto, driving chorus hook "Can't you see you got me down on my knees / Trying to be the man that you want me to be". You'll know it when you hear it.
5. The Eames Era - "When You Were a Millionaire". Reminds me of the Delgado's sort of restrained enthusiasm, but really this is just one in a batch of terrific songs by these Baton Rouge up-and-comers.

Tonight @ Black Cat: Chin Up Chin Up and Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin

Indulge your indie-pop sweet tooth tonight with Chicago's Chin Up Chin Up and Springfield, Missouri's Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin at the Backstage at the Black Cat. This is the last night of their joint tour, so come on down for a double shot of Midwestern goodness. CUCU and SSLYBY (total abbrev. alert!) have each been praised on various blogs and online publications and are touring in support of recently released (or reissued, in the case of SSLYBY) albums.

CUCU and label mates Bound Stems are doing their part to reinvigorate a Chicago music scene that seemingly lies dormant between Wilco records. Their songs are detail oriented, tightly-wound affairs that, along with singer Jeremy Bolen's Robert Smith impersonations, sound somewhat like the Cure.

While The Rockists have yet to see CUCU in concert, Rob and I did happen to catch SSLYBY with WTF-ers/retards Harry and the Potters at the IOTA last month. I thoroughly enjoyed their opening set and I'll be damned if their cover of "Crazy" wasn't one of the better ones I've heard. Yeah, they sound kinda like the Shins and, no, they probably won't change your life, but they are not to be missed. And if that wasn't enought, they're also playing an acoustic set tonight at 5:30pm at Olsson's Books and Records in Dupont Circle.


Tonight 2/22: Chin Up Chin Up w/Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin @ Black Cat, doors at 8pm


Chin Up Chin Up - This Harness Can't Ride Anything
Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin - Oregon Girl

* photo courtesy of Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin's myspace page

Let's Get Out in the Country - Shows outside DC

With the rise of the Atlas District, it seems the number of music joints in DC is ballooning. But if you've got the means, there are a handful of venues and shows outside the District (and Arlington for that matter) that just might be worth an hour or so drive. Here's what's coming up soon:

Tuesday 3/6 - The Hold Steady @ Ottobar in Baltimore.
Tuesday 3/6 - Of Montreal @ State Theatre in Falls Church, VA.
Thursday 3/8 - The Whigs w/ Wax Fang @ Fletcher's in Baltimore.
Saturday 3/10 - Gomez / Ben Kweller @ Sonar in Baltimore.
Thursday 3/15 - The Autumn Defense @ Jammin' Java in Vienna, VA.
Monday 3/19 - The Bad Plus @ Univ. of Richmond, VA.
Sunday 3/25 - Robyn Hitchcock and the Venus 3 @ Ram's Head in Annapolis, MD.
Monday 4/2 - Crosby and Nash @ American Music Theatre in Lancaster, PA.


*photo courtesy of the Whigs' myspace page.

Arcade Fire - Neon Bible

Thank God the second coming of Springsteen, sponsored by the Church of Finn, has ascended into heaven. It's about time we get someone else seated at the right hand of the Father. If anyone would have requested a requiem by Bruce on his deathbed, Neon Bible would be it. After a solid trip pop opener with "Black Mirror," "Keep the Car Running"'s two chord mandolin opener, driving 2/4 drum beat bring you back to the days when Reagan was seeking reelection and this blogger was one and a half.

Arcade Fire slows it down a little with the title track and immediately brings us to the cathedral with huge organs and a call and response between Win and an impressive string section in "Intervention." After moving through the half 80s pop hit, half AF classic "Black Wave / Bad Vibrations" and dipping (ahem!) in the "Ocean of Noise," "(Antichrist Television Blues)" is literally a (successful) melding of "Born to Run" and "Thunder Road."

While most Springsteen references coin bands as the Boss of a new generation, this reference isn't anything like that. Neon Bible is literally the Boss v2.0. Maybe I'm wrong in this comparison, but before you dismiss this as amateurish, make a playlist with Neon Bible, Born to Run and "Dancing in the Dark," set it on shuffle and just listen...

I'm not saying Arcade Fire is the next Great American Rock Band (mainly because they're from north of the border). Let's just say they've made a Great American Rock Album.

Arcade Fire - No Cars Go
Arcade Fire - The Well and the Lighthouse

The Explorers Club - new tunes and tour

And here you thought the Elephant 6 were ripping off Brian Wilson? The Explorers Club, out of Charleston, SC, are not in the business of doing Beach Boys pastiche, covering Pet Sounds in its entirety, or serving as Mike Love's backing band. No, these guys want to be the Beach Boys, in the worst way, or the best way, depending on your perspective. I (predictably) choose the latter, and, frankly, am racking my brain to think of a band that has pulled off the Wilsonian harmonies, melodies, and even the dynamic rhythm section so capably.

They're also hitting the road soon, and while they seem to stay farther down South, maybe they'll get up this way sometime soon. Can't really imagine what they sound like live though. The Wondermints, maybe?

The Explorers Club - Forever
The Explorers Club - I Lost My Head

*Also, it's worth mentioning that allmusic's Album of the Day is the Lovin' Spoonful's Do You Believe In Magic? I once saw the lyrics from this song scrawled on some kind of wrapper at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. One of the coolest things I've ever seen in person. Also one of the finest tunes ever -- it would definitely crack my all-time Top 25. Check out the outro, with the backup vocals "Do you believe like I believe?" running behind John Sebastian's "Please believe".