The Alarmists / White Light Riot

What cha' doin' Friday night? City Pages (A List Pick) and I highly recommend you go to The Alarmists' CD release party 6/9/06 @ Varsity Theater. Buddies White Light Riot are kind enough to join in on the fun and Low Lustre will be starting off the festivities.

The Alarmists


I've posted on them before. I think they've quickly become my favorite local band. They will be celebrating the release of their first CD A Detail Of Soldiers. The CD/EP is excellent, and Lindsey Thomas from City Pages agrees:

Two thumbs and several enthusiastic toes up for the Alarmists' debut, perhaps the best local release of the year thus far. It's only a six-song EP, but there's not a single filler track or wasted moment to be found. And as if that's not reason enough to fall hard and fast, the young band recorded the pristine disc themselves. Rather than executing a hasty smash-and-grab job on any one influence, the quartet has compiled all the best bits from the last 10 years of thinking-man's pop. The ghostly vocals that creep up on "Soldados" recall Radiohead just minutes before the paranoid android invasion. "Some Things Never Stop" throws choppy guitar strums over a simple piano plunk à la Spoon. And "Coming to Meet Me" is pure Wilco with slide guitar guiding the bittersweet refrain: "And she's coming to meet me/We got nothing to say/I try to keep it familiar/Like a lot's the same." My favorite track (as of this particular moment) is the driving "Good Advice," the chorus of which gets ushered in by a burble of synths that appears out of nowhere, and escorted out with a line of the most infectious oohs I've heard since Snow Patrol's "Spitting Games" took over my head two years ago. The keyboard-reliant "New Romans" and anthemic closer "She Will Love Again (Hey Kid)" round it out. There you go. Six tracks, all brilliant. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to put an end to this review, as I'm starting to feel like a publicist. (full post here)

Now if that's not a stellar review, I don't know what is. But I'll let the music do the talking. Give it a listen, I'm pretty sure you'll really like it:

mp3: The Alarmists - Some Things Never Stop
mp3: The Alarmists - She Will Love Again (Hey Kid)

Currently the CD is available for purchase at all Alarmists shows (hint: buy one tomorrow) and local retailers: Aardvark Records, Electric Fetus, Roadrunner Records, Cheapo, Treehouse Records, and Know Name Records. Online distribution to follow very soon (I'm sure)...

The Alarmists Website
The Alarmists MySpace

White Light Riot


I had a chance to see these guys @ Turf Club a couple of weeks ago. Wow, I was pretty impressed! They rock. They've been getting rave reviews for their live shows and excellent EP The Dark is Light Enough. Even Dodge posted on them in January, here's an excerpt:

WLR's music is full of energy and ambition, with powerful drums and bass that set the foundation, and distinctive vocals and interplaying guitar lines. Most of the guys aren't even 21, but they want to be rock stars and they have the stuff it takes be one. They and their music are mature beyond their years... (full post here)

Again, check the tunes and websites for further evidence:

mp3: White Light Riot - Out of Sight
mp3: White Light Riot - Bitter Beginning

White Light Riot Website
White Light Riot MySpace
Purchase their EP The Dark is Light Enough here or download it on iTunes.

Special thanks to Andrea and HowWasTheShow.com for getting me hooked on both of these outstanding bands...

Low Lustre, who I haven't seen before, also looks promising... check out their MySpace influences: "Wilco, early U2, Interpol, Primal Scream, The Walkmen, My Bloody Valentine, The Verve...". Sweet!

In other news:


World Cup 2006 starts today!!! My favorite sports tournament on the planet... I'm even involved in a blogger pool with the following music lovin' mofos:

[abridged]
analog giant
extrawack!
false 45th
i am fuel, you are friends
let's kiss and make up
letter never sent
palms out sounds
simon metz
spinachdip nyc
spit up and shut down
the parallel campaign
the view from yoorp
total positive
veritas lux mea

And of course the hot Soccer babe C over @ Scatter o' Light is running the friendly competition. Good luck to everybody and yeah, "I will crush you!" (Imagine me saying that with an Arnold Schwarzenegger voice). The trash talking on the fantasy website has already begun as well...

More hot Soccer Babes here.

Have a great weekend!

Cheers,
- Steve