February Records has been asked to host a showcase at this year’s Ideat Village festival in New Haven.
Now in its ninth year, Ideat Village began as a response — and something of a challenge — to New Haven’s massively-funded International Festival of Arts and Ideas. From the Ideat Village Facebook page: “Ideat Village organically sprouted as a direct response to the vanishing opportunities for local artists to participate in New Haven’s multi-million dollar International Festival of Arts and Ideas — to the rave reviews of local artists and musicians, and to the consternation of the recognized ‘Art Establishment’. Ideat Village is produced each year entirely on small independent donations and community goodwill; the festival is run by artists, for artists and the community.”
We’ll be presenting three bands that will all have releases on February Records in the coming months:
The Tyler Trudeau Attempt will be releasing a 7″ single in preparation for their upcoming full-length album. TTTA play catchy powerpop and is a staple on New Haven stages.
Ghost of Chance will be releasing their debut full-length through Feb.Recs. The band boasts Jayson Munro, previously of The Striders; George Moore; David Corsak; and Mark Niciu, of The Wee Bees and previously of The Inclined Plane. Ghost of Chance will be making their live debut at Ideat Village.
The Wee Bees have plans for an upcoming single and EP. They’ve been playing out a lot — hitting Cafe Nine, Bru Cafe and Two Boots since making their live debut in March at ArtSpace New Haven. The Wee Bees play jazzy, shoegaze-inspired pop with an ’80s and ’90s feel to it.
Catch the February Records showcase Saturday, June 26 from 5-7 p.m. at Pitkin Plaza on Orange St. in New Haven.
The music begins tonight and doesn’t stop until Saturday at 11 p.m. You do not want to miss any of this line-up. The festival has a great mix of local, national and even some international bands. Boy Genius, Ray Neal, Veronica Falls, Steven Deal, The Wee Bees. Then … The Field Recordings, EULA, Panda Riot, Midstates & The Choir of Ghosts, The Fictional West, Roadside Attractions. Then … Butterflies of Love, The Secret History, Procedure Club. Then … just when you thought it was over it all starts up again on May 26 with Women’s Basketball, The Tyler Trudeau Attempt, Horowitz and Allo Darlin’. Seriously … don’t miss any of this.
Saturday, April 10, Brooklyn’s Boy Genius will return to New Haven to bring their brand of ’80s- and ’90s-inspired pop to Rudy’s. Boy Genius takes inspiration from bands such as R.E.M., Miracle Legion, Let’s Active and The Lemonheads, to name a few. The band’s latest offering, “Staggering,” has been getting rave reviews from pop bloggers around the world.
Tread carefully ye who tar Boy Genius as the dreaded ‘college rock’, because there’s so much more to them and this wonderfully-crafted album than that. ‘Staggering’ has all the hallmarks of mid-90s American indie, but also draws heavily on bands like Go Betweens and Orange Juice and even early REM at times. I’m not one to call albums ‘classical’, but this is one that draws from just about every cool influence and mixes them up just about right. However, it’s neither a blind copy nor some kind of homage – more an amalgamation of your record collection.
Check out Boy Genius’ new video for “Ramona Saves the Day” —
The Tyler Trudeau Attempt are a New Haven staple with a catchy power-pop sound and lyrics you’ll find yourself singing for days. The band makes musical nods to Elvis Costello, Richard Hell, The Modern Lovers, The Ramones and more.
Matt Gouette is a pop virtuoso, trickster musician, and multi-instrumentalist who quite simply crafts some of the finest tracks you are likely to hear. He is comfortable in all genres it seems and his listeners are rewarded with subtle songwriting full of hooks and harmonies that linger. His work suggests equal parts Elliott Smith, Brian Wilson, and Robert Smith.
Check out the video for Matt Gouette’s “Opinion” off the soon-to-be-released “Emeline at the Moon Tower” —
SATURDAY, APRIL 10
Boy Genius, The Tyler Trudeau Attempt and Matt Gouette @ Rudy’s
372 Elm Street, New Haven
$4, 10 p.m. 21+
*The bands will be playing at the beginning of the ArtSpace Underground! Music will start at 8 p.m. Don’t be late!*
Every so often we here at Tweefort actually put on a band that some might classify as “twee.” Most of the bands we book fall somewhere in the broader “indiepop” definition … or the even broader “pop” definition. However, Burlington, VT’s The Smittens have that cute, child-like quality that might plop them right smack dab in the middle of the twee spectrum. It’s not often New Haven gets a good dose of full-on tweepop, so you’re not going to want to miss this.
I’ve seen The Smittens a number of times … and they always put on a great show.
The Smittens are a five-piece indiepop band from Burlington, Vermont and like to think of themselves as a DIY twee pop explosion. Dana Kaplan, Colin Clary, David Zacharis, Holly Chagnon, and Max Andrucki switch up instruments, song-writing, and singing to create brilliantly lyrical and hyper-catchy pop songs of all colors, shapes and sizes. Formed on a whim at a party in 2002 by a group of popkids who wanted to make for their friends the kind of music they love, the Smittens have emerged as one of the country’s best-loved underground indiepop quintets, with headlining slots in the past year at the New England, New York, Toledo, and Athens Popfests. The bands third album The Coolest Thing About Love, mixed by Eric Masunaga, is out now, on Athens, Georgia’s indie institution Happy Happy Birthday To Me. The critically acclaimed ‘Gentlefication Now!’ and ‘A Little Revolution’ are both now available through Happy Happy Birthday to Me.
The Wee Bees are New Haven’s newest pop band. The group includes ex-members of The Inclined Plane, The Caligulists and Manchester By The Sea — as well as one-half of Tweefort. The Wee Bees have an 80s- and 90s-inspired C86/shoegazey sound.
From their MySpace:
The Wee Bees are a New Haven, CT-based Indiepop band who formed in mid-2009 in cramped storage quarters along CT’s Quinnipiac River. … The Wee Bees fully embrace the DIY-aesthetic that gave birth to some of our greatest creative inspirations (C86, Sarah, K, Matador, Slumberland) and craft pop songs that span the gamut from jangly verse-chorus-verse structure to tremolo-heavy shoegaze to sweet lullabies to experimental jaunts.
Plus, there’ll be the usual ArtSpace Underground entertainment, including DJ Sofia Cavallo, dancing by Sugar Magnolia and drinks by 116 Crown.
Check out this cute video for The Smittens’ “My Favorite Dream” —
SATURDAY, MARCH 27
ArtSpace New Haven
8-11 p.m. — music starts at 8 p.m.!
$5, All-ages
We’re very excited to be hosting Standard Fare all the way from Sheffield UK next month. Mark March 13 on your calendar for another night of great pop music. Joining Standard Fare will be New Haven’s The Cavemen Go and New London’s Conversion Party.
Here’s what some blogs are saying about Standard Fare:
Oddbox Blog: This new single ‘Fifteen’, again on Thee SPC, is set to lay a marker down early doors for single of 2010. ‘Fifteen’ the song, is pop perfection. Emma Kupa’s voice is one of those beguiling things – powerful, fragile and totally mesmerising and yet it still manages to be one of the catchiest songs you are likely to stumble upon, this or any year. Hiding within the grooves is a darker song about wanting someone who is under-age. Standard Fare have a sound that could loosely be described as a cross between old school British indie and US college radio indie from the 80s. That’s not to say that they sound American, the don’t. But if you were to meld together indiepop with sounds that American bands like Throwing Muses and early REM made you could well be a bit closer to fathoming how Standard Fare make sounds so deceptively simple sound so damn infectious. The B side ‘Understand’ is a gentler number and it shows that the band have more than one string to their bow. I can not wait for their début LP to be released – lucky for me (and you) that ‘The Noyelle Beat’ will be out in March. Good times.
Norman Records: There’s a little buzz about this band Standard Fare. That is totally justified entirely as their debut single ‘Fifteen’ recalls classic, sprinting C86 shamble ‘n’ jangle indie, spilling with spirit & gusto. Musically it reminds me of a less twee & more muscular Heavenly or Liechtenstein’s less angular, more straight guitar pop stuff. Singer Emma has a really strong, hearty voice & the song makes me shed a nostalgic tear for beloved times listening to Peel in my teens & twenties. Really heartening to hear a band that transcends pastiche & effortlessly arrives with the equivalent of a lost gem.
Piccadilly Records: Love this! “Fifteen” is a great slice of jangly indie pop that rattles along at a fair old pace and although it’s kinda cute it’s ballsy too, mainly down to singer Emma’s great vocals. “Understand” on the flip, is a slower more introspective song, that recalls Morrissey’s songwriting at it’s best. Ones to keep an eye on this year I think.
Pop N Cherries Blog: While A-side “Fifteen” perfectly fulfills the role of the infectious sing-along hit, B-side “Understand” gives Emma’s voice another chance to kiss the stars on a splendid New Pornographers-like tune, full of melodic brilliance & emphasis.
And check out the cute DIY video above for “Dancing” — made up of photos of the band and random photos of people dancing — it’s great.
SATURDAY, MARCH 13
Standard Fare with Conversion Part and The Cavemen Go
Cafe Nine, 250 State St., New Haven
10 p.m. FREE. 21+
Purchase the CD
------------------------------ FEB027: "Gypsy Paw" — Eastern Phoebes
5 tracks Download FEB027
------------------------------ FEB019: "If" — Even Artichokes Have Hearts
a. If
b. Summer Download FEB019
------------------------------
FEB024: "Catch Me When I Fall" — Bangkutaman
a. Catch Me
b. Train Song Download FEB024
------------------------------
FEB023: "City Lights Fade" — The Whatevers
5 tracks Download FEB023
------------------------------ FEB015: "Olé/Hola" — Bourgeois Heroes
a. Olé/Hola
b. When You're Dancing
FEB012: Paw Meds/Mary, All The Time — The Inclined Plane
a1. Paw Meds [mp3]
b1. Mary, All The Time [mp3]
Purchase the 7" vinyl single:
------------------------------
FEB011: Someone's Always Dying To Break My Heart — The Cavemen Go
a1. Someone’s Always Dying To Break My Heart
b1. Andrea
b2. Bonus track
Purchase the CD single:
Purchase the single in digital format through Bandcamp.
------------------------------ FEB018: "one year of original music from February Records" by Various Artists
19 tracks. Click here to download FEB018 for FREE from Bandcamp
------------------------------ FEB008: These Are Dark Times - The Tyler Trudeau Attempt
a1. These Are Dark Times
b1. We'll Win This One Yet
