Album: A Place to Bury Strangers - Exploding Head

Album: Exploding Head
Mute, 2009
Rating: ******** (8/10)

There are no big surprises on the new album from A Place to Bury Strangers, out today on Mute Records. As always, the band is still something of a one-trick pony. The good news is that that one trick is so very awesome and original that it's far from played out - there are still lots more avenues to be explored, and more importantly, lots more eardrums to be shattered.

APTBS's trick comes, of course, from guitarist Oliver Ackermann's custom Death By Audio pedals. These create a mountain of fuzz, feedback and noise. Static covers the music like a thick layer of snow, while deep rumblings fill in every gap and piercing overtones punctuate songs. It's like My Bloody Valentine or the Jesus and Mary Chain on steroids.

For this reason, APTBS has always been more of a live band to me than one I listen to on record - it's all about volume, about overwhelming the senses and being swallowed whole by the noise. The record isn't the same experience. But then again, Loveless pales in comparison to My Bloody Valentine's live show and it's still one of the greatest records of all time. It's more fair to compare an album to other albums than to compare it to a concert.

Exploding Head starts off strong with the MBV-esque "It Is Nothing," a high-speed pitch-bender with simple but intriguing vocals and extremely tight distortion throughout. The song jumps into the sonic fray with both feet, as melodic overtones add phantom guitars and an deep foundation keeps the listener from ever finding the bottom.

There are a few sequencing problems on the album. Most notably, "Lost Feeling," with its weird Sonic Youth-like steps out of the key signature, is a great addition to the album, but is far too long, repetitive and unmelodious to sit up at track three. Later in the album, the silent beginnings of "Ego Death" break the album's spell and disrupt its flow. It would have been better to fill this space with more audible noise to keep the listener engaged instead of making them stop their concentration to check their speakers.

"Keep Slipping Away" is the album's standout centerpiece. It's well composed, with another simple but irresistible melody and a great sense of structure, driven home by half-tempos, drop-outs, breaks and the perfectly placed bridge. With a dancey, electronic beat and an anxious, repeating lead guitar, it recalls 80's synth music like Depeche Mode, but adds APTBS's characteristic NOISE. "Smile When You Smile" is a more typical APTBS track, but keeps things moving with hammering drums, a short bassy solo and an unforgettable melody. The decision to roll back the noise from time to time sends the tense, disturbed song hurdling forward.

The album goes out strong too, with the gothy, ringing reverb title track, followed by the intense "I Lived My Life to Stand in the Shadow of Your Heart." This closing song is writ large, with an expansive, open melody and a thick, distorted pulse in the bass. Feedback screams over it all until the song descends into its own static until it's only a hint of sound under the roar of white noise.

There isn't a bad track on Exploding Head. It's a solid, accomplished album with no filler and few missteps. It isn't groundbreaking for the band, it's just a further honing of what they've been doing for years. And what they've been doing for years is being more loud, more ominous and more awesome than anyone else around. Fuck yes.

[MySpace]

Live: A Place to Bury Strangers + Nine 11 Thesaurus, Reading Rainbow

When: 9/11
Where: The Maze @ Death By Audio

Another day, same maze. The first band I saw on Friday was the hip-hop crew Nine 11 Thesaurus. I was surprised to see a [black] rap group in midst of a [white] indie rock hipster crowd, but it wasn't as awkward a situation as it could have been. Normally, indie rock culture seems to do all it can to skirt around the issue of race, which of course only makes the potential for antagonism worse. However, at this show, mutual respect seemed to be the rule. As for the music, it was pretty hard-edged East Coast rap, though poppy enough to avoid alienating listeners. The beats were unremarkable and the rapping was nothing special. However, the group's rowdy, enthusiastic delivery made up for some of the set's less exciting aspects. [MySpace]

Next up, in the back room, I was able to get a good view of Philadelphia duo Reading Rainbow. Their minimal, noisy garage rock was enjoyable, but I was saddened by the thought that in two weeks, I won't remember them. Minimalist drumming + minimalist guitar + rough-around-the-edges songs is simply one of the most common formulas in post-2000 indie rock, and with so many folks on the bandwagon, you'd have to do something pretty spectacular to stand out, no matter how genuine and solid your music. [MySpace]

I think some other bands played but I had to get some dinner and just made it back in time to secure a spot in sight of the stage for the already-legendary A Place to Bury Strangers. From where I stood in the maze, I could see singer/guitarist Oliver Ackermann much of the time and occasionally glimpse drummer Jay Space. They pumped the front of the house so full of fog from a smoke machine, however, that even the few of us whose view wasn't completely obscured by the walls of the maze could barely make out the band.

Two words came simultaneously to describe the show - visceral and visual. The former is just the impact of the sheer volume, pealing feedback and roaring distortion from Ackermann's custom pedals, along with intense, ice-cold, break-speed beats. The latter, however, is a bit of a bummer, given that most of the audience couldn't appreciate the visual components. From where I was standing, however, the visual attack was one of the most notable of the show.

As a general rule, APTBS uses strobe lights to bring things up a notch for the closing parts of their set, and while I'd always thought this was effective, seeing it in such a small space, in such densely smoky air, brought the concept to a new level. Part of me thinks bands shouldn't rely on visual props, and while APTBS's music can stand on its own, it definitely sounded weaker to me when I closed my eyes.

However, during this show, the murk and the strobe suddenly made perfect sense to me. I have a hard time looking at strobe lights and usually avert my eyes, but this time, I made myself stare straight onto the stage. APTBS thrives on overloading its audience with sonic stimuli, and when coupled with a visual overload, this can basically cause an altered state of consciousness. Distortion on a guitar is created by bombarding a circuit with an electric current beyond its capacity. In a similar way, APTBS attacks your brain with too much for its circuits to handle, and the result is a feeling of utter detachment from the surroundings and total physical and mental immersion in the music as it unfolds.

The only band I've seen with a similar psychological effect is My Bloody Valentine, who, of course, accomplish the same thing to a far greater degree (and generally without relying on visuals). MBV redefined what a concert experience could be and APTBS seems to have taken up their mantle in pushing these extremes. They haven't broken new ground yet, but they may well be on their way. [MySpace]

Upcoming Shows: A Place to Bury Strangers, Naked Raygun, Zeros + more!

TOMORROW! Thursday, September 10

Gowns, Pterodactyl @ Death By Audio ("The Maze") | Williamsburg, Brooklyn
I've already told you so much about Pterodactyl and how their wild arpeggiated guitars, unrepeating drums and manic hollering add up to something pretty awesome that doesn't sound much like anyone else. I haven't seen Gowns yet, as they live in California, but it would seem they make similarly edgy, minimalist noise rock, though perhaps in a less manic and more unsettling. We shall see. Oh, and Death By Audio is a maze now. [Gowns MySpace] [Ptero MySpace]


Friday, September 11

A Place To Bury Strangers @ Death By Audio ("The Maze") | Williamsburg Brooklyn
It's such a rare opportunity now to hear APTBS play a small venue or a DIY venue. Not only is DBA the best small DIY venue in town, it's also the band's home. The music collective that runs the venue was started by APTBS's Oliver Ackermann and you know they'll be at the top of their game playing in the place they got their start (and I'd assume, where they still rehearse). Ackermann founded DBA as a custom pedal factory and that's important because it's the custom pedals that make APTBS a stand-out band - the sheer metallic roar and Himalayas' worth of feedback. In other words, bring ear plugs. Heavy-duty industrial ones. [MySpace]


Saturday, September 12

Naked Raygun @ Music Hall of Williamsburg | Williamsburg, Brooklyn | $15 adv./$18 dos.
Naked Raygun was the essential hardcore band in Chicago in the early 80's. Melodic and arty, but with all the fast-loud spirit of other early hardcore bands, Naked Raygun remain one of the greatest examples of American indie ever. [MySpace]


Sunday, September 13

Feelies @ Southpaw | Park Slope, Brooklyn | $25
I think $25 is too much to pay for a show, even for the band that invented jangly Hoboken pop in the 80's. If you've got the cash, though, and you like sweet melodies, simple songs and smiles all around, check it out. It's a double set, so you will get some bang for your buck. [MySpace]


Monday, September 14

Autolux @ Bowery Ballroom | LES, Manhattan | $15
Autolux play wall-of-sound dream pop, but with balls. Basically, people who like shoegaze-influenced alt rock (Catherine Wheel, Trail of Dead, early Smashing Pumpkins, etc.) would be hard put to find much better than this. [MySpace]


Tuesday, September 15

Zeros + Jemina Pearl @ Southpaw | Park Slope, Brooklyn | $15
Zeros are one of the original LA punk bands from the late 70's/early 80's. In addition to being one of the great American punk bands, they are one of the only still touring with the original line-up intact. So if you weren't going to shows in southern California in 1978 (or you were and you want to relive it), this is your chance. Opening is Jemina Pearl of the now-defunct, very young, very talented punk outfit Be Your Own Pet. [MySpace (unofficial)] [JP MySpace]

Upcoming Shows: Wavves, Lovvers + more

Tomorrow! Wednesday, July 15
An obscenely difficult choice...

Wavves, Woods, Real Estate @ Bowery Ballroom | LES, Manhattan | $13 adv./$15 dos.
Wavves is Nathan Williams. Nathan Williams is a young kid from San Diego who writes simple, lo-fi pop tunes, and those songs are everything rock music should be - loud, fun and entirely independent. Woods are a gently haunting, melancholy folk-pop band and another one of the year's best. I think Real Estate is boring and overrated, but people whose opinions I respect keep saying otherwise, so maybe you should give them a chance too? [Wavves MySpace] [Woods MySpace] [RE MySpace]

Sisters, Coin Under Tongue @ Death By Audio | Williamsburg, Brooklyn | $?
Two of my "Bands to Watch in [the Rest of] 2009", playing on their home turf at Death By Audio - what more could you want? You know playing in a familiar location and with a bill of close friends is going to mean both these bands play their very best. Sisters' lo-fi punk may be an odd combination with the mammoth post hardcore of Coin Under Tongue, but variety is the spice of life. Or something. [Sisters MySpace]


Thursday, July 16

Lovvers @ Cake Shop | LES, Manhattan | $10
Lovvers are h an awesome punk band, with a pop sensibility that doesn't make them sound wimpy or like they are fourteen years old. Their music is truly in the spirit of garage rock and early punk - raw and technically unsophisticated, but with an inspired maturity behind the bright energy. They are coming in from the UK, so don't miss them when you have the chance! [MySpace]


Friday, July 17

Abe Vigoda, Dinowalrus @ Cake Shop | LES, Manhattan | $10
Abe Vigoda is one of the better LA punk bands. They are at the youthful, pop-accessible end of the hardcore punk spectrum, and I bet they are fun live. Dinowalrus is a New York band I've been avoiding for ages because I wasn't a huge fan of their recorded material. But I finally went to see them this past weekend and without getting ahead of myself (I will be writing a review), they are AMAZING live. I mean, really, really, really amazing. [AV MySpace] [Dino MySpace]


Saturday, July 18

SIREN FESTIVAL @ Coney Island | Coney Island, Brooklyn | FREE!!!
This two-stage festival is free. If it cost money, I probably wouldn't recommend it, since I'm ambivalent-to-apathetic on most of the acts. But for free, it's WAY worth it. Bands include:
- Built to Spill (sad 90's indie music who I kind of think feel sorry for themselves too much, but who are pretty well loved)
- Raveonettes (Jesus & Mary Chain-y noise pop, a little boring for my tastes, but not bad)
- Frightened Rabbit (Scottish cry-in-your beer music that's kind of shameful mope-pop but that's also really, really irresistible)
- A Place to Bury Strangers (easily the best band of the day, loud loud and loud shoegaze/psychedelic/noise rock that will split your eardrums with screaming feedback and distortion, delivered by an extremely talented and enigmatic three-piece)
- Thee Oh Sees (solid if un-special DIY punk/pop with excellent musicianship and some fun melodies)
- Japandroids (a great punk-pop band, but I'd actually avoid seeing them live if you like their recorded material - technically, they're great live, but their attitude makes the true spirit of punk turn over in its shallow grave)
- Bear Hands (poppy rock music that's undeniably solid, well-arranged and well-played, if not groundbreaking)
...and more.
[Official Festival Website]

Live: Holy Fuck and A Place To Bury Strangers

When: 5/22
Where: Music Hall of Williamsburg

Although A Place To Bury Strangers has long been one of my favorite NYC bands, I haven't actually been out to see them since the fall of 2007, when they "broke" -- thanks to a feature on Pitchfork's "Best New Music." So when I finally got to this show, a year and a half later, I was reassured (but not surprised) to see that the band's success hasn't led to musical comprise. In fact, critical acclaim seems to have helped the band fully recognize those things that has always set them apart - they seem far more focused and powerful than they did in 2007 (and they were pretty damn focused and powerful back then).

Undoubtedly one of the loudest bands in history, their noise has only intensified. Oliver Ackermann's custom-made guitar pedals - sold by his own Death By Audio - give his instrument a sound like no other. It's like one long metallic roar, more massive, more dense than anything you've ever heard - unless maybe you live on a very busy military airfield, that is. Confrontation by sheer volume isn't an idea invented by APTBS, but they can certainly join the list of bands that have pushed the approach to new extremes, a list that includes folks like The Who, The Stooges, Swans, Dinosaur Jr and My Bloody Valentine.


A Place To Bury Strangers

One of the things that makes APTBS so great is that the three musicians seem to come from very different places. Instead of meeting in middle stylistically, they each maintain their identity, crashing into each other at full force. This unusual interplay guarantees the band's unique sound. Drummer Jay Space plays relentless 16th-note-based heavy dance rhythms, while Jono Mofo's measured bass lines open up the sound, while deepening it into the lowest registers. This odd couple of a rhythm section make it pretty much impossible to say whether what you're hearing is fast or slow. Meanwhile, Ackermann's noise guitar buries heavy chords under squeals and roars while his vocals fight through the sonic combat zone undeterred.

Despite some problems from the sound booth during the first few minutes of the set, APTBS's inertia proved unstoppable. Hardcore fans would agree it wasn't their greatest show ever, but it was still a mindblowing performance. About halfway through the set, the band went into overdrive, hitting the strobe lights and letting loose. It's amazing Ackermann's guitar survived as long as it did, seeing the thrashing he gave it. Eventually his aggressive energy towards the guitar reached a breaking point and he threw it down, then dragged it around the stage by its cord.

The only mistake the band made was letting their noise jam go on a little too long. A good motto is "quit while you're ahead" - by stretching the boundaries of the audience's attention span, the band did lose just a touch of momentum near the end. Still, the onslaught was impressive, and by the time they actually exited the stage, amid deafening feedback, they'd fully recovered from any miscalculations. As always, lending to their mystique, the band didn't speak a word, just went on stage, made their noise and walked off. It leaves an impression on ya, it really does. [MySpace]

Holy Fuck followed APTBS and the combination seemed even weirder in practice than it seemed on first glance at the listing. Holy Fuck is an instrumental indie electro-dance group from Canada. But I guess it's not too strange, I know plenty of people (myself included obviously) who rank both these bands among their favorites.

Holy Fuck is one of two bands that convinced me electronic music can be good live (the other being Norway's 120 Days). All of the music is created on the fly - sure, there are sequencers and beats, but the band is constantly setting them off, inputting new samples, changing effects and creating sounds from a variety of sources. And the band members love to bob, pogo and dance to their own beats.

It's danceable music with complexity and merit, integrating a slew of rhythmic influences. The songs are loud and aggressive, but still fun. The only real problem is that the songs do get a bit "samey" and for those not dancing, the set was really too long. But as long as the front third of the audience is still jumping around, can anyone really criticize? In other words, Holy Fuck get to act like they're the shit because they are the shit. [MySpace]

With these two bands, I'd be shocked if anyone didn't get their $15 worth of awesome - maybe lost more than $15 worth of hearing, but definitely not short changed!

Upcoming Shows: X, A Place To Bury Strangers + more

TONIGHT! Wednesday, May 27

A Place to Bury Strangers, Shilpa Ray, Sisters, Coin Under Tongue @ Pianos | LES, Manhattan | $10
If this isn't the best NYC line-up imaginable, I don't know what is. Four bands associated with the always-excellent Death By Audio family = delicious. Sisters sound like Sonic Youth at their most minimalist-punk. Coin Under Tongue I haven't heard, but it's ex-Dirty On Purpose, so you know it's good. Shilpa, well, I've already explained that. And APTBS, well, one of the loudest bands you ever hear. Not to mention one of the best. [Sisters MySpace] [Shilpa MySpace] [APTBS MySpace]


TOMORROW! Thursday, May 28

Tyvek, Cause Co-Motion! @ Monster Island Basement | Williamsburg, Brooklyn | $7
Tyvek are rad punks from the Midwest. When I saw them at Death By Audio, they kicked serious ass. Cause Co-Motion! are lo-fi C-86-style pop, friends and labelmates of the Pains of Being Pure at Heart and Crystal Stilts. Don't miss. [Tyvek MySpace] [CCM MySpace]


Friday, May 29

Beluga, Wild Yaks @ Monster Island Basement | Williamsburg, Brooklyn | $8
I'm sick of describing Beluga and how much I love them. Super awesome lady punks who scream and rock out and put on a hell of a show. Check out my last review of them. Wild Yaks are one of those names I've heard, and I have a friend who really loves yaks, the species, so that seems like a good reason to catch this band too. [Beluga MySpace] [Wild Yaks MySpace]

A.R.E. Weapons @ Webster Hall Studio | East Village, Manhattan | $10
A.R.E. Weapons may have a disappointing recorded legacy, but their live show is unbeatable. Their massive electronics and noise sound like Suicide - dissonant, heavy and noisy, yet focused. They play with a rare chemistry, their improvised parts weaving together in nigh-perfection. This is the shit. [MySpace]


Saturday, May 30

X @ Bowery Ballroom | LES, Manhattan | SOLD OUT
One of the finest of L.A.'s original punk movement, X helped define second-wave American punk (aka hardcore) in the late 70's and early 80's. They gradually moved towards accessibility, but never sold out their edge. Though never as aggressive as southern California's hardest core (Henry Rollins's Black Flag, Fear, etc.), X were and remain badass and bold. [Website]


Sunday, May 31

X @ Bowery Ballroom | LES, Manhattan | $27
Same as the above. Only difference: this show hasn't sold out yet. [Website]


Monday, June 1

Grant Hart @ Bell House | Gowanus, Brooklyn | $10
Ex-Husker Du, Grant Hart was the "hippie" of the group. His songs for Husker had a folksy leaning, and his solo work only takes him further down this path. Frankly, anyone who played in Husker Du (which is only three people ever) deserves everyone's undying respect. It's as simple as that. [MySpace]

Live: Vaselines, A Place To Bury Strangers + more

TODAY! Monday, May 18

The Vaselines @ Music Hall of Williamsburg | Williamsburg, Brooklyn | SOLD OUT
If you're not already aware of the Vaselines reunion, you gotta get with the picture! This classic indie pop group, highly touted by Kurt Cobain (according to Wikipedia, he named his daughter after one of the band's founders), will be gracing New York for the first time since in like 20 years. (OK, yeah, they also played at Bowery last night. Sorry I didn't give you all a heads-up.). If you put your mind to it, I'm sure you can find some tickets.


Wednesday, May 20

Psychedelic Horseshit, Sisters @ Union Pool | Williamsburg, Brooklyn | $7
I have yet to catch Psychedelic Horseshit live, but they are rumoured to be good and pretty much sound like their name would imply - ultra-lo-fi pop-psych. I enjoyed Sisters last time I heard them, and since getting their album, I'm liking them more and more. Definitely don't miss this. [PH MySpace] [Sisters MySpace]


Thursday, May 21

Pterodactyl, These Are Powers @ Glasslands | Williamsburg, Brooklyn | FREE!
Pterodactyl are my new favorite NYC band. I liked their last show, I like their new album, and in general, I think they are brilliant and one of the more original groups in Brooklyn these days. I don't know nothin' about These Are Powers, but "Jasper" says they are noisy and good, and I'd believe that. [Ptero MySpace] [TAP MySpace]


Friday, May 22

Crocodiles @ Studio B | Greenpoint, Brooklyn | FREE!
Crocodiles are the latest shit out of Sand Diego. Despite their frequent claims to the contrary, they do sound just like the Jesus & Mary Chain. But that's cool. RSVP to tuxwithchucks@dt-mag.com if you wanna go. Which you do. (Thanks Brooklyn Vegan!) [MySpace]


Saturday, May 23

Holy Fuck, A Place to Bury Strangers, Crocodiles @ Bowery Ballroom | LES, Manhattan | $15
Do I really have to explain why this is amazing? Holy Fuck play the kind of electronic music that's amazing to watch live. APTBS makes some of the loudest, heaviest guitar sound around - shoegaze/psych/noise rock that feels like getting crushed by a brick wall. (That's a compliment.) Crocodiles, well, I just told you about them in the paragraph above. To get all three of these bands in one night is well worth $15. [HF MySpace] [APTBS MySpace] [Crocs MySpace]

Upcoming Shows: A Place To Bury Strangers, Marnie Stern + more

There are some OK shows this week, but none good enough for my endorsement until Friday....


Friday, May 1

A Place to Bury Strangers + Dinowalrus @ Less Artists More Condos | Greenwich Village, Manhattan | $?
This show is so badass, I don't even know what to say about it. APTBS are one of New York's finest psychedelic bands. They are loud as hell, with great melodies and a guitar sound that's basically equivilant to being run over by a train. LAMC is one of NYC's premier DIY venues run by bookers who may well be the coolest people in the entire city. It's going to fill up and then some, so get there good and early! [MySpace]


Saturday, May 2

Bellmer Dolls @ Webster Studio | East Village, Manhattan | $10
Garage goths the Bellmer Dolls are a pretty common topic on this blog. In my last live review, I remarked that this band is "worthy not only of an audience but of a lasting legacy in the American underground." I don't say things like that very often. [MySpace]

Kurt Vile @ Silent Barn | Ridgewood, Queens
It's a long trek to Silent Barn, but it might be worth the trip this time to check out Kurt Vile, who runs with the likes of Wavves, Nodzzz, Woods and the rest of the ultra-lo-fi punx who currently own the blog circuit. I haven't heard him, but he's rumoured to be on the mellow/folk end of that spectrum. But he also had the balls to release an album called Constant Hitmaker, so he can't be too wussy. [MySpace]


Sunday, May 3

Marnie Stern @ Bell House | Gowanus, Brooklyn | $13 adv / $15 drs
Marnie Stern is badassest wielder of an electric guitar that New York has seen in ages. Her album, which was the #1 album of 2008, features non-stop shredding, explosive rhythms and pop hooks that all together sound nothing like anyone else I've ever heard. For serious. [MySpace]


Monday, May 4

The Kills @ Music Hall of Williamsburg | Williamsburg, Brooklyn | SOLD OUT
I'm sure if you put your minds to it, you can find tickets to this sold out show next Monday. The Kills might be the only two people on earth who can make indie rock sexy, a talent they proved in 2008 with their album Midnight Boom. Their garage rock has the careful production usually reserved for electronica - I can't explain how that works, because I don't understand. I just know it does work, and it's awesome. [MySpace]


Tuesday, May 5

Lady Sovereign @ Highline Ballroom | Chelsea, Manhattan | $15 adv / $18 drs
"Is it a bird? Is it a plane? Na, it's the biggest midget in the game." In other words, Lady Sovereign is one of the best garage rappers ever, period. As a white woman barely over five feet tall, she made it big in a predominantly black, male genre - so you know she's gotta kick some ass. She grew up in the same London projects as her fellow grime MCs and she's as pissed off as anyone. Don't fuck with her. Do go hear her next week at the Highline Ballroom. [MySpace]

Upcoming Shows: New Years Eve

So many bands I love are playing shows in NYC on New Year's Eve, but I can only really recommend one event because going to any of the others would mean missing this:

MERCURY LOUNGE, 12/31
8 PM My Best Fiend
9 PM The Vandelles
10 PM Dirty on Purpose
11 PM A Place to Bury Strangers

Do whatever it takes to get tickets - they are kind of expensive ($25) but it's NYE in New York, so that's just how it goes. The show hasn't sold out yet, but it probably will. The entire line-up is amazing, but the real reason you must not miss this show is that it's the LAST SHOW EVER for noise pop champs Dirty on Purpose. Of course, the rest of the bands are swoon-worthy as well - the fuzzed out dark psychedelia of APTBS is always amazing and the Vandelles' massively feedback-laden, rehashed rockabilly is a great way to ring in 2009.

I'm nowhere near New York, so I guess I'll go to my grave without hearing Dirty on Purpose. But if I had known about this show before I bought plane tickets last month, I would have cut my vacation in half just to go to this. If you are in New York, you have no excuse!

News: Dirty on Purpose hangs up their hat

Sad news, friends. One of New York's best, Dirty on Purpose, has just announced they are calling it quits. Over the last six years, DOP's innovative take on shoegaze pop has been an inspiration to many of their NYC colleagues and has won critical praise from all corners.


Dirty On Purpose
They will play one last show together on New Year's Eve with two of my very favorite NYC bands, A Place to Bury Strangers and the Vandelles. It will be at Mercury Lounge, starting at 9 PM. It's going to be an outstanding show, probably one of the best of the whole year. In other words, don't miss this show for anything! DO NOT MISS THIS SHOW! Got it?

And buy tickets in advance, it will sell out.

Dirty on Purpose - MySpace (I'm going to try to include more links for streaming and info about bands from now on, by the way.)