Sunday, October 2, 2011

CONTEST! The Besnard Lakes Ticket Giveaway

Saturday Oct 8th, Manic Productions presents:
Wadsworth Atheneum (Aetna Theater)
600 Main Street
Hartford, CT

7:00pm - All Ages - $12

Want win a pair of tickets to see the Besnard Lakes at Wadsworth Atheneum in Hartford Oct 8th? Well, send an email to CTINDIECONTEST@GMAIL.COM answering the following: What's your favorite Besnard Lakes song and why? Winner will be picked at random.

(Winner will be notified Friday Oct 7th. So, check your email!)



Bios from Manic's site:

The Besnard Lakes are a band from Montreal, Quebec, Canada, formed by the husband and wife team of Jace Lasek (Vocals/Guitar/Keyboards) and Olga Goreas (Vocals/Bass), and completed by Kevin Laing (Drums) and Richard White (Guitar). According to Songfacts, their name comes from Besnard Lake in North-Central Saskatchewan.

The band gained critical attention with their second album, The Besnard Lakes Are The Dark Horse, that was nominated for a Polaris Prize in 2007. It was recorded at Lasek’s own Breakglass Studios, with members of fellow Canadian bands Stars, The Dears, and Godspeed You! Black Emperor/A silver Mt. Zion making guest appearances. Their debut album, Volume I, was self-released in a limited 1,000-copy edition in 2003 and later rereleased in October 2007.

In March 2010, the band released their third album The Besnard Lakes Are The Roaring Night to widespread acclaim and has also received a nomination for the 2010 Polaris Prize.
Jagjaguwar Records

Also playing:

Malajube are an indie rock band from Montréal, Québec. They sing in French and have three albums out on Dare to Care Records.

The group made itself known in 2004 with the release of its first album, “Le Compte Complet.” Critics welcomed the disc with positive reviews, which allowed the group to become instantly famous in the Québécois music scene. Several of its songs, such as “Le Métronome” and “La Valérie,” were prominent mainstays on several Québec radio stations. For the production of the album, the group turned to Martin Pelland from fellow Montreal band The Dears.

Coley O'Toole and Joe Ballaro started their first band in the 7th grade in Shelton, Connecticut. They honed their skills as musicians, vocalists and songwriters by playing together daily.

Coley met Zac Clark over a decade later, when Zac moved into a river house on the banks of the Housatonic with Joe. The three toured as The Queen Killing Kings.

In early 2011, the three journeyed to Silverlake, California where Simon Katz (Youngblood Hawke) and Christian Letts (Edward Sharpe) awaited their arrival at the Effie House- a home equipped with, among other items, several recording consoles, a Steinway baby grand, two dozen guitars, a Hammond organ, and a ghost.

The band brought more than 30 songs, out of which one was chosen each day to arrange, record and mix. The 9 songs that comprise the band's debut self titled LP, "Smoke Signals," were recorded live, in the living room, in the span of 9 days.

These songs are a return to the blue-collar landscape of the band's hometown. They are honest, warm and timeless.

Friday, September 30, 2011

On Display at Heirloom Arts: Connecticut Indie Rock Dinosaurs


Sub Rosa, Heirloom Arts, and WXCI presents:

The Saltwater Swells (Indie Pop)
Season Finale (Fugazi meets Rush and dates Madonna)
UltraCrush (nostalgic indie rock)
Human Vice Patrol (Heavy Rock and Roll)
Ghost of Chance (Ethereal, experimental wall of sound rock)

Saturday Oct. 1st
All Ages
8pm doors
$5 D.O.S

@ Heirloom Arts Theatre
155 Main Street; Suite 103 #103
Danbury, CT 06810

Sounds:
The Saltwater Swells - Who Owns you
Saltwater Swells - Who Owns You by CTINDIE

Human Vice Patrol - High Tide Fist Fight
Human Vice Patrol - High Tide Fist Fight by CTINDIE

Ultracruch -Mess
UltraCrush - Mess by CTINDIE

Ghost of Chance - Livin' Life to the Fullest
06 - Livin' life to the fullest by GhostofChance

The Guru - Native Sun (Revisited)

Appropriately described as Disco rock, The Guru can certainly get a crowd bobbing their heads—or dancing like maniacs. With a lunatic vocalist, a cross between Isaac Brock and Brak, the band swathes our ears with an overtly melodic mix of dueling guitars, pulsating bass, and drums straight out of boogie nights.

The guitars are absolutely amazing on “Native Sun”—intricate riffs battle for the forefront. Their melodies can be compared to riffs of bands like The Owls or Don Caballero. The Guru is able to utilize traditional jazz chords while maintaining a rock sound—tough to do. In fact, in the breakdown of Pirate’s Cove, the band draws guitar influence from the jazz standard Blue Bossa. The group seamlessly floats through time signatures like they don’t exist. In general, the band has a strong grasp on song writing. Though, at times, the guitars become a bit too much and sound like wanky blues riffing from a 70s porno. But structurally the songs are solid. I do have one cavil though: the album was mastered way too loud and at times digital clipping is apparent. But the mix itself is rather intriguing. The Guru makes great use of space, reverb, and panning.

Buy their album on Bandcamp


Barracuda Hands off "Native Sun"
The Guru - Barracuda Hands by CTINDIE

TONIGHT: Suburban Scum, Convulsions, Raindance, Heavy Breath and more

Friday, September 30, 2011 at
Branford American Legion
243 North Main Street
Branford, CT

$8 - All Ages - Doors at 6:30, show at 7

No drinking/drugs/bullshit, there's a nice bar in the building where you can go to get you drink on. The people who run this hall are fucking awesome so respect them.


Suburban Scum (NJ)



Convulsions (RI, FFO Disembodied)




Raindance (MA)



Heavy Breath (CT, Get Young Records)




Less Life (NJ, members of You and I, Black Kites, The Assistant)




Submission (CTHC)



Al Borland (ex- PoW, Das Hate, Cold Snap)

approx. set times:
Al Borland - 7-7:15
Submission - 7:25 - 7:40
Less Life - 7:55 - 8:15
Heavy Breath - 8:30-8:50
Raindance - 9:05-9:25
Convulsions - 9:35-9:55
Suburban Scum - 10:10-

Thursday, September 29, 2011

Elm City Popfest Videos


The Elm City Popfest is over. But, thanks to Mark Niciu, there are many videos from each night. Here are a couple of the videos. More can be found on February Records Facebook page.

The Inclined Plane - Killer Roentgens


Sidewalk Dave - Chord Organ Blues (Daniel Johnston Cover)



Fugue - YEARS


Could there be a better time to hear Fugue’s new album than the autumn? Kind of like the mosaic of leaves that swirls around one’s head, Fugue’s YEARS is often a collage of interlaced guitar, keyboard, and bass melodies that combine to give birth to some larger, unified feeling. Unlike a lot of guitar-driven instrumental rock, YEARS resists repeating simple and catchy melodic hooks; rather, the album presents kick-ass melodic lines but allows them to permutate in new shades as each song transforms.

Taken as a whole, each of the songs on YEARS generally has a melancholic quality to it, but it’s one that is complex and rich. Each of the four songs is a journey in which tempos, moods, melodies, and chord progressions are continually evolving. While Fugue impress with their compositional and instrumental virtuosity, they skillfully avoid falling into the trap of becoming over-technical showoffs. Part of the credit there must go to the drummer, who animates the music with surprisingly unconventional rhythms but pulls it off with organic ease. Additionally, for all of its cerebral quality, YEARS is still a post-rock album that will melt your brain with distortion-heavy crescendos and hypnotically charging riffs.

It was sad to hear recently that Fugue is breaking up (they have schedules for their last live shows posted on their FB page). I am, however, looking forward to hearing the new projects that Fugue’s members will inevitably get involved with. This last album speaks to both their musicianship and innovation.

Fugue - YEARS - 02 Vermilion Bird of the South by CTINDIE

Goatcult Presents: Black Twilight Ritual




Goatcult Presents:

Kallathon
Arizmenda
Shataan
The Haunting Prescence
Nachzehrer

Friday, September 30
Cherry Street Station
491 North Cherry Street Extension
Wallingford, CT

8:00 pm - $10 - 21+