BoogMusic

Recently New York City hosted it’s fourth annual NYC Popfest, a celebration of smiling three-chord simplicity, reverb, and impeccable manners.  Despite being an easy target for cynics everywhere, NYC Popfest is an excellent showcase for up-and-coming bands of a certain type (that type being, if you will, the type that didn’t really like high school, but didn’t really spend any time in detention either).  Here are a few bands featured at the fest with new releases (click the cover art to go to the bands’ sites).

The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart- Say No To Love  7″ (June 8 2010)

Like many bands in this burgeoning scene, POBPAH are a Brooklyn-based band with a large debt to the UK “shoe-gazer” bands of the early nineties like the Jesus and Mary Chain and My Bloody Valentine.  To this they add a large dose of Robert Smith’s tunesmith sensibility.  These songs seem by and for the scrawny kid nursing a beer in the corner of the house party- hand jobs in the library, drugs to feel less suburban, falling in love to escape the boredom of living at home; POBPAH chronicle a type of ennui and do it well with catchy melodies that belie the lyrics’ darker intent.  Having said that, with a name like The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart and a video featuring a be-v-necked band of skinny people so earnestly singing into the camera, it’s a fine line between sincerity and self-parody.  I hope they continue to walk it on the right side.

Allo Darlin- Allo Darlin LP (June 7 2010)

London-based Allo Darlin’ are full of buzz and have not a mean bone in their bodies (featured in a recent NY Times review of the NYC Popfest, Allo Darlin’ were singled out for their unironic rendering of “You’re The One That I Want” as the highlight of the event).  If there were a year book for this year’s NYC Popfest, Allo Darlin’ would be voted most likely to succeed, or most likely to end up in a Volkswagon ad.  Having been weaned on seemingly equal parts Morrissey and Frente, Allo Darlin’ also walk the fine line between the sweet and sincere and that which is completely twee and ridiculous.  One can only hope that their very busy touring schedule will, if not jade them, at least bring them to the realization that their cover of “I Want To Be Sedated” was, in fact, a really lame idea.

Vivian Girls- My Love Will Follow Me 7″ (February 2010)

If the Shangri-Las were raised by Nico, in New Jersey, then they would sound like the Vivian Girls.  Far more raw sounding than the other two bands mentioned in this post (and owing more to the Vaselines than Cocteau Twins) Vivian Girls certainly hit the mark with what they’re going for.  Never has worshiping at the altar of Spector (Ronnie, not Phil) sounded so punk rock.  Not to mention easy on the eyes, I would imagine the Vivian Girls to be the object of desire for every navel-gazing band of emo-wimps with which they’ve shared the stage at Trash Bar.

These are just three of the many bands that played the NYC Popfest, so please don’t just take my word for it.  As with any scene, too much of a good thing, or at least a pretty good thing, can only last for so long.  Especially when one considers that the Brooklyn uber-hip thing seems to be waning (or at least transmogrifying into a hipness of self-loathing; who hasn’t heard a hipster douche passionately rail against the collective hipster douchery of Kings County).  Some of these acts should avoid schtick all together and try actually learning their instruments better- what’s the point of writing a song if you’re going to play it lousy?.  Giving new bands a break is a great thing; please make sure you’re up to the challenge.

see also:

Dream Diary (think Stone Roses without the swagger)

Very Truly Yours (authors of maybe the worst band bio I’ve ever read, these guys are none the less a pop band in the vein of Le Mans)

Best Coast (a fuzz, reverb, lo-fi girl group drone by apparantly three huge stoners- they need more bass in the mix, but definitely worth a listen)

Strange Boys (Ween + ? and he Mysterions- like someone dosed the Memphis Soul Stew)