November 29, 2010
Dreaming in Canadian. That’s what the band Braids sounds like.
Yes, I know that’s a terrible description. “Canadian’s not a language, you racist,” you might say. You’re a bit hostile and jumping the gun on judgement, I’d have to respond, but I get your point. Though have you heard the way they say, “about?” HI-LAR-ious!
My point, overly sensitive reader, is that: A) They are, in fact, from Canada—originally Calgary, now the Williamsburg-of-Canada, Montreal—and, B) They sound SUPER dreamy. Not Jordan-Catalano-dreamy. And not even that west cast, getting-kinda-old, retro, beach-pop dreamy exactly. No, this dreamy sounds a little more my speed—giving a solid, perceptible nod to the beautiful shoe-gazing of yore, but still keeping the band’s creative dignity in tact and covering some melodically entrancing new ground while they’re at it.
Check out their Song of the Week, “Lemonade,” to see what we’re talking aboot. Stereogum called it a “baroque ‘Crazy Town’” (by old fave, Velocity Girl) a while back, and we can’t say we disagree. We just can’t. And got nine minutes for an old-school piano-guitar drone? DEFINITELY check out the band’s MySpace page and listen to Liver and Tan. Totally pretty. The band’s playing Mercury Lounge tonight and then two sold-out NYC shows with kind of beachy dream poppy Radio Dept. and they’re set to release their debut, Native Speaker, in the new year on Kanine Records here in the states. You can pre-order it there.
