O'Death @ Sin-e 1/13

Brooklyn's genre straddlin' laddies O'Death seem to be playing about a bazillion shows in NYC these days. Their next appearance is this Saturday at Sin-e, with Mahogany, Daylight's For The Birds, and Relay, as part of the club's Friction series, a "monthly showcase of bands that are on the forefront of New York City's local independent music scene organized and sponsored by CrackersUnited.com."

O'Death fuses twangy country/bluegrass music (they've got banjos, fiddles, and the like) with a more agressive 'punk rock' feel. There's a hint of vintage college rock in there too (Tom Waits seems to be a clear influence- plus last time I saw O'Death, they did a bunch of Pixies covers). If you're looking for a full-fledged hootenanny this Saturday, go check them out.

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Low Red Land @ Sin-e' Tonight 11/15 9:00 PM

Formerly known as "Great American", Low Red Land has abandoned their partriotic past but have carried forward they're musical influences that are deeply routed in American Folk Rock and Country. Like a Phoenix's rebirth from the ashes, this new project shines with the same glory as it fuses their past sound with the currently popular indie electronic sounds; thus creating someting that is very unique and worth checking out.

BLACK LIPS @ Sin-e’ – 11/2

If you don’t know the Black Lips, you are certainly missing out on a real cultural treasure. That being said with only a small degree of sarcasm, the BL’s have a loud, trashy garage rock sound reminiscent of the Stooges or the Germs. But if you are the average concert goer: WATCH OUT! Their amazing latest release Let It Bloom on In the Red Records, only scratches the surface of the dirtiness of their live act. Turning a live concert into something of white trash performance art, you will get some type of bodily fluid all over your clothing. This may be vomit, piss, most certainly spit, or possibly something far more foul. And then there are the firecrackers…. Needless to say, their antics have gotten them barred from almost every venue in Atlanta and others around the country. Definitely see them before they get booted out of NYC.

Just remember, wear clothes you don’t care about.

THE FORMS @ Sin-E, Monday 10/30, 8pm

I guess you could say The Forms let it all hang out, though not with the kind of swagger you’d expect. In fact, everything these guys do seems to be a bit understated, often letting drums and reverb-heavy guitar patterns guide the way as each tune works its way to a blistering high-point before receding. Vocals blend in like an instrument at times, putting texture and overall arrangement ahead of all else. Even so, even in 4/4 these guys put together complex rhythmic patterns that keep even the mellowest of songs alive with energy and momentum.

Not quite emo, but a fair comparison might be to the loosest parts of a Death Cab for Cutie song, or maybe Copeland.

Either way, these guys are definitely worth checking out live at Sin-E on Monday, 10/30. You’ve got a long week ahead- better de-stress early with some great mellow music on a Monday night. (listen)