BY:LARM NIGHT #3 - 4AD PARTY + SHOW HOPPING

Fuzzy. That's what it was, very very fuzzy late night at SENTRUM SCENE when SERENA MANEESH took over the 4AD party at By:Larm on evening #3 of the festival. The place was wall to wall for SM's wall of sound that obviously bows at the alter of 'Loveless'. Dropping many news songs off their latest effort, 'S-M 2: Abyss In B Minor', I felt like someone slipped me a mickey. Also on the 4AD bill were highly-touted EFTERKLANG and OH NO ONO. Efterklang rolls eight deep on stage, part electronic, part folk, part orchestra. I can't say it was remarkable but the intent was well meaning. Oh No Ono on the other hand, ohhhh noooooo!

Jumpin' Joe from WOXY and I decided to see as many venues as possible, despite this place only getting colder by the minute. SEABEAR did their thing at GAMLA, a great venue that feels like some old vaudeville joint, and I liked what I heard from THE RUMOUR SAID FIRE at the By:Larm Tent. KATHINKA has lots of potential, the fuzz is there. There was also a quick stop at Stratos for the STEREOGUM party, then we caught acts like PHONE JOAN, TWINS TWINS and got to see the band I'm stalking, THE MEGAPHONIC THRIFT again, without my earplugs and in the front row. What??

FUTURE SOUNDS DEBUTS....

More information on bands that debuted this week on the FUTURE SOUNDS show....

HILOTRONS

FROM: Ottawa, Canada
MYSPACE: http://www.myspace.com/hilotrons
LABEL: Kelp Records
Download "Dominika" here (mp3 courtesy of Killbeat Music)

Manic, twisting, dancy stuff from a band that must love the TALKING HEADS. Spend some time on their Myspace page, it's worth it if you like jerky grooves.

THE PRIGS
FROM: Brooklyn, NY
MYSPACE: http://www.myspace.com/theprigs

Unsigned

A true collective, as you may already know some Prigs as members of other bands such as St. Vincent, Via Audio, Tiger City, Kaki King, Elizabeth and the Catapult, and Old Springs Pike. Together they combine for a sound that is unique, vocally reminiscent of THE HOLD STEADY, musically they list Huey Lewis as an influence.

THE NIGHT MARCHERS

FROM: San Diego
MYSPACE: http://www.myspace.com/thenightmarchers
LABEL: Swami Records/Vagrant Records

Another rusty nail vocal delivery, San Diego's THE NIGHT MARCHERS give you everything you go to Swami Records to receive - solid indie rock! Full-length called "See You In Magic" out now.

OH NO FOREST FIRES

FROM: Toronto, Canada
MYSPACE: http://www.myspace.com/ohnoforestfires

Unsigned

Toronto can't help itself, new indie music is pouring from it's well and spilling out all over us down south. OH NO FOREST FIRES just played NXNE and Chromewaves has been all over them.

SEABEAR

FROM: Reykjavik, Iceland
MYSPACE: http://www.myspace.com/seabear
LABEL: Morr Music
Download "Teenage Kicks" here (mp3 courtesy of Music Is Art)

What a great cover of THE UNDERTONES, and then you start listening to more music from these Iceland kids and you fall under the Seabear spell.

ELLE MILANO

FROM: London
MYSPACE: http://www.myspace.com/ellemilano
LABEL: Brighton Electric (UK)

Really cool sounds from this London band that is busy this summer with festivals and recently scored some XFM love with the single, "Laughing All The Way To The Plank".