Event

Handsome Furs and Arthur & Yu

The duo of Handsome Furs began as an idea in the winter of 2006, comprised of Montreal residents Dan Boeckner (Wolf Parade) and Alexei Perry. Dark and minimal while noisy and earnest, the point was to be as sparse and repetitive as possible with the help of little more than vocals, guitars, and a new drum machine. Through this, songs of earthbound captains, eggs made of gold and iron, and sleepless bodies were born. Boeckners disenchanted vocals thinly resonate while cloaked in a frenzied undertone of fear and uncertainty, all punctuated by bare drum machine beats. Through the course of each track, a deep-seated sense of longing is leveled out by staunch realism as a restless disdain for both urban life and smaller towns collide. Handsome Furs toured Europe before having recorded any songs, and has since opened for the likes of Paavoharju, Islaja, David Cross and Modest Mouse without having released a proper record.

www.myspace.com/handsomefurs

As the flagship act for Sub Pop's new Hardly Art sub-imprint, Arthur & Yu's debut, In Camera, is a solid collection of consistent indie rock played through a classic-rock lens. Seattle multi-instrumentalists Grant Olsen and Sonya Westcott recall luminaries like the Velvet Underground and Serge Gainsbourg along with modern acts like Black Mountain and Devendra Banhart. The opener, "Absurd Heroes Manifesto," builds on subdued guitars and ethereal harmonies, while "There Are Too Many Birds" employs a full band for its driving, addictive melody. Along with the duo's stellar songwriting, the album is strengthened by warm production that gives the record an antique vibe. Eternally laid-back, In Camera will inspire summer naps and lazy Sundays forever.

www.myspace.com/arthurandyu