ITP: Lissy Trullie's model sound tonight @ TTs

From my Hotline post: An androgynous, pixie-like former New York City model that covers Hot Chip, has a band ripped straight out of the early-‘80s L.E.S. artsy post-punk scene and once attended the Walnut Hill boarding school in Natick? Hey, sign us up.

That’s the resume of 25-year-old rising star Lissy Trullie, and she and her band hit T.T. The Bear’s Place tonight in Cambridge (9 p.m., $10) in what Hotline believes is her first local show since opening up for the Virgins at Great Scott back in February. Her cover of Hot Chip’s “Ready For the Floor” made its way onto TV’s “Gossip Girl” and the soundtrack to flick “Jennifer’s Body,” but her originals boast a cool stripped-down post-punk bounce that should have her poised for big things in the new year. She’s oh-so-New-York it kind of hurts, but the girl’s apparently got some talent beyond the pretty hipster doll-face, and continues this whole garage rock meets new wave musical evolution that’s about to break.

After this year’s “Self-Taught Learner” EP generated some buzz, Trullie’s upcoming debut album, set for release in 2010, is being produced by former Suede guitarist Bernard Butler (you know, for what it’s worth). And her modeling career, though she plays it down in press interviews, includes a 2002 Ryan McGinley portrait and being the inspiration and model of Moses de la Renta’s debut line. Hey, gotta pay those bills while writing spiky rock-pop ditties somehow.

Here’s some visual and aural evidence of Miss Trullie, as we await tonight to see if there’s some live substance to all this style:

1.17.10: Spacehog live @ Harper's Ferry

Oh boy! Before I break out in a spirited wooo-ooohhhhh-a-ooh-oooohhhhh-oooh-ohhhh-oooooh, let's just note that leftover Britpop casualties Spacehog hits Allston's Harper's Ferry next month, Jan. 17. Tickets are a billion dollars ($15) but that's okay. In the meantime (lulz), let's take a look back at their glory moment, and a bio from the venue is below for educational purposes... and yes, it does mention Liv Tyler.



The rock band Spacehog was founded in New York City in 1994 although all members of the band were originally from Leeds, England. Members included Royston Langdon (bass and vocals), brother Antony Langdon (guitar and vocals), Richard Steel (guitar), and Jonny Cragg (drums).

Heavily influenced by David Bowie and Queen, Spacehog signed with Sire Records in 1994. Their debut album, Resident Alien, was released in late 1995 and went gold on the Billboard charts, selling over half a million copies. The album had a hit single and video “In the Meantime” as well as the single “Cruel to be Kind.” “In the Meantime” was also selected as the background music for the BBC’s Match of the Day football program.

The band’s second album, The Chinese Album was released in 1998, but not to as much popularity as their first. However, their fan base increased as they opened for acts like Pearl Jam and Supergrass. Spacehog’s third album, The Hogyssey released in 2001 on Artemis Records. This album featured such singles as “I Want to Live” and “At Least I Got Laid” as well as a funk version of Richard Strauss’ “Also spach Zarathustra.” During the promotion of this album, Spacehog joined The Black Crowes and Oasis on the Tour of Brotherly Love, which proved to be their final tour.

In 2002, the band quietly broke up and went their separate ways. Royston married Liv Tyler in 2003 and teamed up with former Blind Melon members Roger Stevens and Rene Lopez to form the band, The Quick, later renamed The Tender Trio. This band broke up in 2006.

The Langdon brothers, along with another – Christian – form Arckid and recorded eight songs at Trout Studios in Brooklyn. Jonny Cragg later joined this new band as well. Antony left Arckid to pursue other interests – including an homage to his wife, Victoria, and an album with Joaquin Phoenix.

Antony was briefly replaced by guitarist Mat Steel and Pete Denton, but both ended up leaving the band. Arckid performed at the Hilfiger Sessions NY and in the 2007 Lollapalooza shows.

In my head: Hazy shade of holidaze

This holiday season is killing me. And when a piece of me dies on the inside during the great month of December, I refer to the Bangles' "Hazy Shade of Winter" from the Less Than Zero soundtrack.

12.15: SXSW Info Session @ Middle East

I'm making my first trip to SXSW in March -- got the flight booked, the hotel secured and I'm working on acquiring more wristbands than a trendy hipster crackhead. Now I need to figure out what to do when I get there, you know, beyond getting shitpissed on Lone Star and seeing Amazing Baby 15 times. Good thing the Middle East is here to help my wanderlust ways, as tomorrow night it teams with the Musebox to host a SXSW Info Session.

This is mad convenient too, as I also wanted to catch Bearstronaut performing at Throwed upstairs and Lissy Trullie at TTs the Bear's next door. God save the Central Square rock hat trick!

'2009: That Really Happened' by Steve Porter

DJ Steve Porter, who headlines my boy Vadum Rankin's New Years Eve party at Flat Top Johnnies, has a new all-ace dance jam to remind us how redonkulous this past year was. "2009: That Really Happened" rounds up all the gossip fodder and blogporn suspects, from Queen Gaga to Balloon Boy to creepy flesh colored beard guy and auto-tunes it straight to dance floor glory. This is even better than his Slap Chop remix. I'd rock out to this at the club. Frealz

I first heard this on VH1 the other day and have had it in my head since... You'll be singing Balloon Boy's "We did it for a show" line all day, I dare you not to.

12.12.09: The Honors @ the Middle East

Ahhh yes, those charming men in the Honors. In pill circles they are known as the band who DESTROYED as the Smiths at my recent Halloween Show, laying down maybe -- maybe! -- the best cover performance in out seven year old franchise. But the boys are more than a dress-up Mozzifier, and they take on the Middle East tomorrow night (Saturday) to unveil some new material. Expect a new EP from the Honors sometime around March, and a return to the pill sometime after St. Patrick's Day.

Now, I've heard one new track, and lemme tell you, those sweaty late-night practices as the Smiths in the late-summer/early-fall certainly had an influence on their emerging sound.

Also on the hi-fi indie melodica bill are This Blue Heaven, Vary Lumar, and The Highway. No Videodrome this week, so I'll try to riverhop away from Allstonia for one evening...

ITP: Top 10 songs of 2009

As published in today's Boston Herald, here is my Best of 2k9 "Top 10" list. Big fucking shock as to what sits perched at Number 1 (The only question is where it fits in my "Best of the 2000s" list).



We’re living in the iPod generation, so it’s fitting that 2009 was a year of the individual song. Not many albums held my attention longer than a month, but I can come up with one awesome synthpop-electro-pop-rock playlist:

1. Lady Gaga, “Bad Romance” (Streamline/Konlive/Cherrytree/Interscope)
2. Passion Pit, “Little Secrets” (Columbia/DMZ)
3. Amazing Baby, “Headdress” (Artist First)
4. Lies in Disguise, “Meet Your Replacement” (Always Never/So Sweet)
5. Yes Giantess, “Demons” (Self-released/tour EP)
6. We Were Promised Jetpacks, “Quiet Little Voices” (Fat Cat)
7. Little Boots, “Remedy” (Warner, import)
8. The Big Pink, “Velvet” (4AD)
9. Yeah Yeah Yeahs, “Zero” (Interscope)
10. Phoenix, “1901” (Glass Note)

Bonus picks: Passion Pit’s “Manners”; Canadian electro-pop singer Lights; every single thing about Lady Gaga

Other songs that I loved this year include: Amazing Baby “Supreme Being”; La Roux “Bulletproof”; Passion Pit “The Reeling”; Twin Berlin "Fake It Well"; Handsome Furs “All We Want Baby Is Everything”; Cold Cave “Love Comes Close”; Taxpayer “We Have Arrived”; Andre Obin “Gazelle”; Toxic Avenger “Toxic Is Dead”; The Daily Pravda “Dead House”; Ladyhawke “Magic”; Flosstradamus "Big Bills"...

Also, lists are stupid so don't take this so seriously...

TONIGHT: Fashionably Late @ the Liberty

Very excited for this... last minute add along with Texas Mike... breaking out Traktor for this special occasion!

We've lost Muse: March 6 @ TD Garden

Re-post from Hotline, which notes Muse hits the TD Garden on March 6 and has some other press-release tidbits and shit:

Remember when Muse was kind of your little secret and you ignored those early “Sounds-Like-Radiohead” disses and put “Unintended” on a mix tape for the girl you crushed on (it worked) and then had to buy “Origin Of Symmetry” on import because it wasn’t properly released in the US and then you lost your mind at Axis a few years back because they closed with “Time Is Running Out” and “Plug In Baby” and it was epic and through it all you had a feeling they’d get popular and but probably not really even though they played Agganis and that made you uneasy but you just rolled with it because you <3'd Muse ever since "Muscle Museum" made you spaz out in your dad's Lincoln Continental?

Remember all that? That was fun, right? Muse ruled. Well, we've lost Muse.

...At the TD Garden March 6, tickets on sale Saturday via Ticketmaster. Insanity. (Good for them. We're just selfish.)

ITP Cheaps: Elf, Puma's remix party & SoWa market

It's Thursday's Cheap Thrills time in le Herald, this week highlighting an 'Elf' quote-along, Puma's party REMIX and the SoWa Holiday Market, where my bold prediction of ladies fashion morphing into Princess Leia's look on Endor in "Return of the Jedi" finally makes it to newsprint. This are the Thrills you're looking for...

SINGALONGS AND SCREENINGS
“Elf” quote-along and “Home Alone” screening at Coolidge Corner Theatre
290 Harvard St., Brookline; “Elf” Friday at 11:55 p.m., $10 ($8 for members), all ages
With the holidays around the corner and significant-other gift-giving obligations staring you in the face, Cheap Thrills is here with a helpful guide to ensure your partner is right for you. Simply look him or her in the eye, tell her you’ve made plans for Friday night and gently whisper: “First we’ll make snow angels for two hours, then we’ll go ice skating, then we’ll eat an entire roll of Toll House cookie dough as fast as we can and then to finish, we’ll snuggle!” If he or she screams “Elf!” while running around the house like a mad person, well, you have yourself a keeper. The 2003 Will Ferrell comedy and all its quotable feel-good holiday goodness gets the quote-along treatment Friday night at the Coolidge, proving once again why the tale of a lonely and zany elf canvassing New York City in search of his family is the best holiday-themed movie this decade not named “Bad Santa.” Take it from Ferrell’s elf character Buddy: “The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear.”
(“Home Alone” screens at 11:55 p.m. Saturday. Info: Coolidge.org, 617-734-2500.)

DANCING SHOES
The Puma Store’s Holiday Party Remix
333 Newbury St. (Back Bay); today, from 6 to 10 p.m. FREE
Anyone can throw a holiday party, but like that almost-slamming album track that sags just a tiny bit, sometimes a remix is in order to shake things up. The Puma Store on Newbury is throwing some extra thump into the holiday party circuit, decking its halls with DJ Hero, kiosks, a 20-percent discount throughout the store and enlisting some local beat-makers to turn this (almost but not entirely a) shopping event into a full-fledged dance party. According to organizers, the music will be holiday themed, but not the kind you heard at gramdma’s house down in Stoughton all those years growing up. May we suggest St. Etienne’s “I Was Born on Christmas Day” or King Diamond’s “No Presents For Christmas.” This holly-bowed get-together already has more than 200 Facebook R.S.V.P.s, so it’s not only a chance to cross some names off your shopping list, but to maybe add a few as well. Mistletoe optional.
Info: facebook.com/puma or R.S.V.P. at shoppingevent@puma.com

HOMEMADE GOODNESS
The sixth annual SoWa Holiday Market
Cathedral High School gymnasium, 74 Union Park St. (South End); Saturday and Sunday; all ages; $5 admission, children younger than 12 FREE
In this last space, Cheap Thrills was going to suggest the 10th annual Santa Speedo Run down Boylston Street on Saturday, but registration is now closed and getting skeeved by skivvies has been relegated to a spectator sport. So let’s all head down to the South End and go shopping instead. The sixth annual SoWa Holiday Market has enlisted more than 80 New England artists and designers, offering unique and one-of-a-kind items that are both fashionably chic and cutting-edge. Shopping for homemade goods always leaves a lasting impression, and the SoWa vendors have it covered, from clothing to handbags to jewelry. And since women’s fashion entering 2010 combines elements of ancient druid garb (but in color!) with what Princess Leia wore after landing on Endor in “Return of the Jedi,” this could be the place to find that perfect New Year’s Eve get-up for your exclusive artists loft party in that dingy, once-abandoned warehouse in Fort Point. You won’t find that look in the mall, kids.
Info: sowaholidaymarket.com