I swear I heard a nightingale

Dear friends,

1. No lie, I requested a copy of The Vain, The Modest, and The Dead by The Lisps because there is someone in the band named César Alvarez and this indie rock Latina likes to seek other indie rock Latins*. Of course there's always the slight possibility that the name's a weird hipster affectation (Hispanic is the new black!) and his real moniker is Joe Smithsonberry. I hope not. Dedos crusados.

Their song Machine is an odd bird. Schizophrenic bedroom electro with a saxophone break is not exactly what I'd expected to hear after a couple of carefully controlled numbers about not wanting to be the one you loved and dirty lips. Singer Sammy Tunis has a strangely colored voice, almost metallic sounding thanks to the way she strikes notes; like a shaft of light on a knife. If you weren't paying attention you might mistake the childlike directness of her sound for amateurishness but her vocals have a determined quality that sounds like she knows exactly what she's doing. The aforementioned Mr. Alvarez counters her with some Lee Hazlewood-style rumbles and back and forth verse trading. I'm not sure what this pair is trying to tell me, the words are all you/me/us accusations from planet Casio so as a listener, I'm caught in a weird place. Somewhere between wanting to do the robot and scowling in a corner. Naive art rock? Not quite, a little too much in the know. But it does the trick. Keep an eye on the listings and catch 'em next time they play out.

Also, befriend them on My Space.

Machine/The Lisps (yousendit link)

2.

I have buddies who play music. Tonight two fabulous band friends, and Beg Yr Pardon alumns, Gold Streets and The Song Corporation play Galapagos at 10PM as part of Jezebel Music Presents Consigment. I hear that Leslie and The Lys are playing as a special last minute guest. Why write anything about 'em when I can link this picture? Or embed this video?

Gold Pants/Leslie and The Lys



Time to whip out the bedazzler!

Love, D

* No joke, at shows, if I think I see an indie rock Latin, I point at them, smile like a shark and give them the secret wink. A wink so secret, they always think I have something in my eye.