The Bowery Presents

The Mercury Lounge upcoming shows

The Paints of Being Pure at Heart
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myspace
Despite only having been together for the best part of a year, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart are fast becoming the most name-dropped band in underground circles on both sides of the Atlantic, and only seconds into jaunty opener 'Hey Paul' (think The Pastels, The Razorcuts or indeed any pre-Madchester bands before indie became part of the mainstream first time around) it's blatantly obvious to see why. While they make no bones about where their hearts and inspirations lie, it would be churlish to call them mere revivalists, particularly with the way singing/guitarist and humble storyteller Kip engages in almost constant interplay throughout their 25-minute set with perma-smiling keyboard player and co-vocalist Peggy. Hell, their new single is even called 'Kurt Cobain's Cardigan' yet it sounds like Lazy-era My Bloody Valentine exchanging sweat glands with a pre-major label Soup Dragons in a sixth form common room. What's more, it's utterly ace like the rest of their set and turns the whole of the Red Room into spring-loaded coils of unbridled excitement.
Cause Co-Motion
official website
myspace
The Depreciation Guild
official website
myspace
The Depreciation Guild is a fuzzed-out, reverb drenched rock/electronic duo consisting of Kurt Feldman (guitar, vocals, programming/chip-tunes, toys), Christoph Hochheim (guitar, vocals), and Anton Hochheim (live drums). Backed solely by a Nintendo Entertainment System, the band blankets their sound with the crushing blows of its 8-Bit 2A03 sound chip. Drawing inspiration from a wide array of classic shoegaze/dream-pop bands such as My Bloody Valentine, Pale Saints, and Cocteau Twins, as well as electronic composers such as Bill Nelson and YMO, The Depreciation Guild have artfully cultivated a unique sound that strikes a balance between progressive and retro-chic.

The band’s first EP, Nautilus, released by 8 Bit Peoples in January of 2006, is a blissed-out, swirling, guitar-heavy epic that was received with international acclaim.

In December 2007, their first full-length, In Her Gentle Jaws was released, which takes the band’s songwriting and arranging to breathtaking new places. From the sonic attack of Sky Ghosts to the lullaby calm of Heavy Eyes The Depreciation Guild have created a piece of music designed to be heard as a whole - an album filled with highs and lows, saturated in color, and drifting into dream.

The album is available as a free download from the In Her Gentle Jaws website.
Zaza
official website
myspace
Newcomers Zaza are an intensely dark and romantic duo originating from Brooklyn, New York who are quickly gaining attention. Jennifer Fraser and Danny Taylor create music which is equal parts vintage and modern. With echoey, ethereal vocals and lush guitars strengthened by muscular percussion, they create dynamic, dreamy melodies which mesmerize.

Recently sharing stages with Raveonettes, Tricky, Morning After Girls, and Pains of Being Pure at Heart, Zaza's live performances are crafted into an aural and visual soundscape. Using designed backdrops and light boxes by various New York visual and installations artists their sound and vision make you feel like you're walking into a fantasy.
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