She Says It's Going to Rain, She Says She's Only Playing...

Hello, I hope that everyone had a fantasic weekend, and saw fantastic shows, and /or got plenty of rest. I came to the conclusion yesterday that it is very difficult to keep up a blog whose primary purpose it is to write things about rock shows attended when the writer of said blog attends so few rock shows. Oh well, shameless self-promotion it is then. It's actually more promotion for Mezanine Owls so I feel completely o.k. about it. In case you've not yet heard them, Mezzanine Owls are kind of stunningly beautiful and you should see them live on every occasion that you have to do so. The fact that they have a residency at Spaceland starting tonight makes all of us very lucky. We're actually double blessed (sorry, please remember that on the rare occasions when I do write the writing will tend to include Pastels' quotes) with long time Squaregirls' super crush Le Switch having their residency going on at the Echo this month as well. The line-ups for every night of each bands'respective shows appear to be pretty incredible (check the links to the Myspace pages for each band for all of the details.) So, um, here is where the shameless part comes in, we are DJ- ing for Mezzanine Owls at Spaceland TONIGHT, and for Le Switch next Monday which is May 12th. Natuarally we'd love to see you at both shows. It's also worth noting that Mezzanine Owls will be celebrating Cinco De Mayo with two dollar Tecate all night! If Mezzanine Owls dreamy, distorted, and epic in all the right ways pop songs aren't incentive enough for you to come out tonight surely the extraordinarilly well priced booze will provide that last little push that you need...

AND I did manage to attend a rock show at the Echo last night. Blood On The Wall were exactly what I hoped they would be. The pull out pretty much every great trick in the indie rock handbook (most readily apparent are the ones they learned from the Pixies) then they execute them with absolute fucking perfection. Seeing them live is highly recommended, as is their 2005 album Awesomer.

AND AND AND most importantly, Dublab kicked off a Proton Drive just this morning so please head over to the site, add Dublab's stream to your Itunes if you haven't already done so, listen to the fantastic DJ's, and donate from your heart so that they can keep all of that fantasticness (actual word?) going!

We hope to see you tonight, and please feel free to tell us about all of the awesome shows that you saw over the weekend or last week in the comments!

Where Did Your Long Hair Go?

I spend an exorbitant (borderline unhealthy) amount of time at home on the internet reading about bands and labels. Most of these bands and labels fall into the category of bands and labels that inspire one to care deeply about them, if one inclined to care about them at all. These bands and labels are highly saturated with releases that inspire people to spend considerable amounts of time actively seeking them out. If one of these people is not actively seeking out a particular release from a particular band, it is still pretty likely that those bands, and those labels are on some sort of list (mental or physical) that is always with these people.

I also spend an exorbitant (borderline unhealthy) amount of time at record stores. I sort through seemingly endless boxes of 7 inches. Every so often a situation like the on that follows (and when it does it's fucking awesome) will occur. I think to myself, "Hey cool, there is a band called The Caroline Know." I turn the album over and notice that the 7" in question was released by The Bus Stop Label. I then think to myself, "Oh, I've actually been looking for this record." I'd read about the Caroline Know in the past, but they were filed away in a dark corner of my mind with other bands that I'd read about once and assumed that I'd never owned recorded music from.

There are two very important facets of this story. The Bus Stop Label is an "Iowa City bred, Milwaukee based," indiepop label that is often referred to as the "American Sarah." And "Caroline No," is my favorite Beach Boys song.

As it turns out, The Caroline Know are perhaps a bit of an American Orange Juice, if you're thinking about Orange Juice songs like "(To Put It In a) Nutshell," and "Consolation Prize." There is also, not surprisingly, a similarity to Sebadoh as Jason Lowenstein was a regular contributor, and Eric Gaffney was an occasional contributor. References to other bands aside though, The Caroline Know's "Nail," is the sort of 7 inch that can occupy one's record player for extraordinary lenghts of time despite the many other records resting along side, waiting for their turn. One will probably lift the needle ever so gently, again and again certain that after this one last listen, one will move on to the next record. Though once one has listened to the 7 inch an appropriate number of times, there will probably be a few days of listening to Pet Sounds involved...

Also while I'm kind of on the subject, can we put a mandatory hold on recording artists covering "God Only Knows?" This could comfortably last anywhere from 20 years to forever. There are plenty of other great Beach Boys songs that can be covered ("Caroline No" actually being one of them,) it's just that "God Only Knows," is actually a perfect pop song. Am I completely out of line to suggest that it could be left alone for awhile?

Listening Too Long To One Song: The Bridal Shop "Violation"

So my pal** Matthew over at Skatterbrain recently posted about the fact that he was busy, tired, didn't have much time to write, and/or feel much like writing even when there was time. Which is exactly what's been going on with me lately, and for the handful of you who like to check these musings on a regular basis I do apologize. I'll get back to posting soon, I promise.

One thing that did manage to find it's way onto Skatterbrain recently was an announcement of the arrival of a new 7" from Swedish indiepop band The Bridal Shop, and the additional information that the A-side of that single "Violation" was streaming on their Myspace page, and that it was maybe the best thing this band had ever recorded. It took at the most 45 seconds of listening to the song to have me pulling up the Cloudberry Records page for more information. I don't believe that the track had even finished once through as I received a confirmation email from Paypal alerting me to the fact that my payment was initiated. The song is that good. It really is everything that a good indiepop dance track should be from the echo-y, atmospheric sound that kicks into a blast of drum machine and synths at the beginning, to the distant Morrisey-esque vocals, to the dramatic center where everything becomes almost still, to the part where it all kicks back in at full blast to level off neatly albeit abruptly at the end. Kind of like the soundtrack to a film that doesn't exist about dance clubs that don't exist where you perpetually expect to see someone grab their secret crush and kiss them in a highly dramatic fashion as a vivid technicolor light show explodes behind them. Yes, the track is that good. If you click here, the song should be the first thing that you hear. I highly recommend picking up the 7" from the afore mentioned Cloudberry page as well though. The B-side "Coming Real" is also exquisite.

~squaregirl marion



** I use the term pal despite the fact that this is not only someone who I've never met, and for whatever reason have never even posted a comment on his blog. I also use the term pal because he appears to like all of the same things that I do in terms of music, he's just WAY better about finding it than I am.

This is Just a Modern Rock Post...

So, by the time that you are all reading this at your office desks on Wednesday morning the whole "What did everyone do this weekend?" question might seem beside the point. However, I don't care! I would still like to know.

I was personally quite impressed with the set that A Sunny Day in Glasgow put on at Pehrspace on Saturday night. It was completely different from the last time I saw them live, and even more completely different from their recorded sound. It was loud, it was kind of raw, and it was more than kind of great. We had a more than kind of great dance party afterwards as well. It was actually one of the most fun Saturday nights that I have experienced in a long while despite the fact that it made work the next day ever so slightly painful. No matter, it's something that I would repeat every weekend if given the chance. Which I *ahem* luckily enough do have the chance to do next weekend. We'll be spinning records at Pehrspace again, this time in between sets from Mad Gregs, One Trick Pony, and The Slow Demise. Naturally we would love to see you there...

I took a spontaneous trip to San Luis Obispo this week so I imagine that most of my days for the rest of the week will be spent walking around, and spending an unhealthy amount of time in record stores, and an unhealthy (but necessary) amount of time in a car. I would like to spend my extra days off writing though, so hopefully there will be some of that as well...


~sqg marion

Watching the Tide Roll Away

Every time I find myself at a really great show where there are about seven people in attendance, and most of them work with the venue, or were in other bands playing that night; I get a little sad. Why aren't more people getting to see this, I wonder, why, why!?!

If you missed Over the Atlantic at Pehrspace on Tuesday night, and it was a bit of a last minute announcement, you do have one more chance to catch them this week on Friday night at Echo Curio. The sound that I heard from them was a bit more outwardly rocking than I was expecting which I have to say was quite enjoyable. They employed the loud shimmering guitar sound that I love more than most any other guitar sound, the vocals were low and slightly distorted, and the drums were tight. It all added up to something extraordinarily effective that found me involuntarily trying to keep the rhythm with my foot, and this was achieved with them having just arrived from New Zealand earlier that day, and having just purchased and/or borrowed every instrument that they were using. It was also, I believe, the bass player's first official show with the band. Therefore, Friday's show promises to be even better than that one. Here are a few more details:


"Over the Atlantic (Carpark Records) are playing a one-off show in LA this coming weekend. From New Zealand, this is Over the Atlantic's second trip to LA, and the first trip to feature a full live band. Their last visit was with Beach House to support the release of their debut album "Junica". On this tour they are releasing a special tour only EP featuring 5 songs never before released in the US including 2 tracks from their forthcoming second album.

They are playing at Echo Curio on Friday with the wonderful Don Cavalli (Everloving Records - France) and locals Deepakalypse and Team Scrub."


They've also been kind enough to send me an MP3 from their forthcoming full length Dimensions which is available for you to download here.

It's also worth noting that Don Cavalli really is wonderful, and I'm sure well worth making a point to see live. His new record Cryland has been in my car's CD player since Monday afternoon, and it's an unnervingly perfect blend of blues, zydeco, a little soul, and even a slight hint of reggae that. If it wasn't executed SO lovingly, and SO well it might even make you a bit uncomfortable to know that the songs were the creation of a white French man. The songs are executed that well though, and the result is honestly nothing short of amazing.

She'll Let Them Know When it's Punk Enough...

With the Scene booking less shows these days we've decided that it will be nice time for us to take a little break from doing the regular club night thing. We had an AMAZING run during the time that we were there, and there are not enough ways in the world to say THANK YOU to everyone who played, and/or attended one of our shows there. We adore all of you tremendously.

But that doesn't mean we are packing up our turntables, and riding of into the proverbial (or literal) sunset. In addition to maintaining this thing here that you are currently reading; we will still be booking and presenting the odd show here or there (or Pehrspace,) and we will be DJ-ing for other peoples shows with what looks to be ever increasing frequency. That starts this Saturday when we DJ, um, Pehrspace for State Bird, No Little Kindness, and A Sunny Day in Glasgow. We've got the first night of the Mezzanine Owls Spaceland residency on May 5th, and a Classical Geek Theater presented show at The Scene on May 9th. We're kind of addicted to the whole playing records and watching people dance thing so if you need someone to DJ a show that you've got coming up, chances are we're just the girls you've been looking for. Visit us here if you would like to contact us!

Also, I believe that I've made reference once or twice in the past to the fact that I've been putting together some sets for the Dubstream. I am still a bit humbled by the fact that I get to be a part of something as exciting as Dublab so I still find it a bit hard to believe that I have an official show there. However, I have an official show there. You can now look forward to many more bouts of shameless self promotion when there is a new installment of "Not Quite Punk," in the Dubstream. As you've probably come to expect from me by now, "Not Quite Punk" will tend to translate into "mostly twee." Naturually indiepop makes up the bulk of what I tend to play, but there is simply too much good music out there to limit ones self to one genre, therefore "Not Quite Punk" will also tend to translate into "not quite anything." Oh, and it's a line from a Tullycraft song because there are so few things that I enjoy more in life than finding fun new ways to reference Tullycraft. Squaregirl Kristen has something in the works over there as well so we will DEFINITELY keep you posted as that comes together.





I think that covers just about everything for the time being. Of course if there are any new developments, you will be the first to know. We'll see you around town!

~sqg marion

Rock and Roll has Lost it's Teeth

The Teeth are still a bit of a mystery to me. I still don't know much about them. I only discovered them about a year ago via Dr. Dog and their Park the Van label. I caught the video for "So Long", and I thought it was perfect. I also watched the "Yellow" video, and i couldn't get how something so simple could be so good. And I really only delved into their material three months ago, at the behest of my boyfriend. After merely sampling their latest release, last year's "You're My Lover Now" online, I was prompted to immediately purchase it. Yes, I said PURCHASE it. I bought the MP3 version and loaded it onto a disk, along with the session they recorded at the Daytrotter studio, and that became my new soundtrack. Anyone who got into my car heard some Teeth. If I talked about music, I talked about the Teeth. And thusly, I fell in love with my new favorite band.

So, what I know of this band is information that I've gathered from many different sources and pieced together into a hazy picture. That picture became crystal clear when I finally witnessed their live performance at this year's SXSW. And so soon after, it was abruptly cracked by a rumor of a breakup, and now, with the confirmation of that rumor, shattered.

I consider myself so lucky to have watched them live, even if only once. On the Thursday of this past South By Southwest, I was able to catch a backyard show featuring the Teeth, Sunset, and The Physics of Meaning at Big Orange Transducers, the temporary Daytrotter studio in Austin. What a show! The Teeth's live act was everything I hoped it would be. Those boys threw their entire being into that performance. It was all movement and sweat and energy. I felt like everything else had stopped. It was just me and the music. Magical. I thought about that line from The Henry Clay People's "Rock and Roll Has Lost Its Teeth", and I thought, "Thank all that is holy for this band. This is punk rock. This is Rock and Roll," I thought. "This is it."

They were punk rock.

On Thursday, April 3rd, Peter MoDavis of The Teeth wrote a letter to us all regarding the demise of the band, a letter that I read with some difficulty. Like many others, I too had heard the rumors of a break up right after I got back from Austin, but I couldn't believe it. So, I waited. And now, it is the end.

I decided to tell the Teeth how I really felt, with a MySpace comment on their page:

I don't think I've ever cried over a band before, but today, realizing how much you've meant to me, I cried. I heard a rumor 2 weeks ago, but I didn't believe it. I didn't want to believe that something this beautiful could no longer be experienced.

The show that you played with [The Physics of Meaning and Sunset] at Big Orange in Austin was the highlight of my time in Texas, and The Christmas City EP has been in my CD player incessantly since I received it as a Valentine's Day gift. And I never tire of watching the "So Long" video. It's amazing. And so are the Daytrotter Sessions.

I have told so many people about The Teeth. This music is exciting, and it makes me happy to be alive. And I wanted to share that with everyone.

Thank you all, I will miss you, we will miss you.

~sqg rachel

Bite into these:

My favorite Teeth video for "So Long":



You can also listen to the Teeth's Daytrotter session here.