Saturday night in Brooklyn, NY at the Market Hotel is going to kick the new year off with a bang, with Tyvek headlining a knockout lineup that shouldn't be missed. If you're well aware of this Detroit combo's jerky, DIY pop scuzz and all of thrills that swirl in and around your head when they play, you'll already have your plans laid out for Saturday and this is definitely the show to see. With some lineup changes and a (temporary?) name change to Tyvjk, they still have the momentum going for them that enchanted the underground with their "Mary Ellen Claims" 7" back in 2006, and hopefully Tyvek will be pushing forth their anxiously awaited LP this year as well. For their latest release, check out their 7" on M'Lady's Records and pick up a copy before they've slipped through your fingers. One of New York's finest shimmering gems from the oft-heralded "loft pop" crop of bands is Crystal Stilts, who are another stunning addition to this lineup and one of the best of the Brooklyn brigade we've heard so far. Taking cues from the mid-period Jesus and Mary Chain, primal Joy Division, and early Rough Trade ethos, Crystal Stilts make remarkable sounds that are breaking out in all directions. After their debut 12" was reissued on Woodsist last summer, Crystal Stilts found a perfect home on Slumberland Records, who were responsible for releasing some of the early 90s material (Black Tambourine, etc) that helped shape their sound. And after adding Vivian Girls' drummer Frankie Rose to their lineup officially, they nailed down a sound so massive yet delicate that it's foolish to try and resist. Check out their debut LP, Alight of Night on Slumberland and pick up a copy right (along with the Woodsist 12") HERE for further euphoric waves of ecstasy.
The Box Elders were one of those bands that caught everyone by surprise last year, and with their one little miraculous self-released 7" EP making the rounds and winning over everyone in it's path, they even one up themselves in the live format, which is always a nice touch. This show marks the halfway point in their current tour, and should show the New York beard-scratchers how they do it in Omaha, as their haunting pop melodies come clamoring out of a cave, and bury themselves deep in your brain. Fronted by the two McIntyre brothers and backed by Dave of The Terminals, this three-piece pop phenomenon has so many good songs, we just can't get enough. On that note, if you're a huge fan of the record and can't actually believe that it's a new recording, don't get stuck on the couch and come see them in person to witness one of the Midwest's most promising bands. Look for more Box Elders records out soon on Goner and HoZac as well, and catch them live whenever possible.
Opening up the show is another one of the home-recording world's most exceptional anomalies, and surely Milford, Connecticut's greatest natural resource, Medication. If you've checked out and absorbed their debut 7" released on HoZac last fall, you'll know the eerie vibes and echo-soaked mantra that Medication disseminates so well, and how quickly it gets under your skin. Although the recordings tend to be a one-man job, Medication's brain, Mr. Hyde is joined onstage by a few others for the full effect, and should snare you into a trance of ghostly guitar reverberations and gypsy drum beats that will split your mind wide open. Pick up one of the few last available copies of the Medication 7" right HERE, and keep your eyes peeled for the debut album on HoZac later this year, as their mesmerizing raw resonance takes flight and seduces both the wanton and the weary with each chilling revolution.
Check out a live video of Box Elders courtesy of ppninetee, right here..
