Band To Watch: The Neighbourhood Council
After two weeks of reader-tipped BTWs from Lawrence, Kansas, we mentioned there seemed to be something going on in that city, despite William S. Burroughs up and dying a few years ago. After the proclamation went out, we received notes from people in other cities and towns and territories, letting us know that, no actually, it's such and such where things are happening. One such place: Calgary, Alberta (thanks to an email from Mark H. of Wood Pigeon). Actually Brandon lived in Cowtown for three years, did a bit of freelance, knows the place well and good, always appreciated its scene, but after some investigation, he notes there's definitely a new crop of younger bands who've risen up since he crossed back into the States.
Our favorite so far is the Neighborhood Council, two guys and two gals all under 20. The quartet's been around for about a year now. When they started, they won in the "youth category" at the Calgary Folk Music Festival, but what they're doing now would make more sense as part of the International Pop Underground. Take a listen to "Liver And Tan," the opening track from their new self-released Set Pieces EP. It's a nine-minute piece of pop that would've made sense next to the Ropers on a split Slumberland 7", but with some of that early Pacific Northewest sound, like what you might expect from the Softies, only on a more shoe-gaze tip with gentler dueling Excuse 17-style harmonies, nice ride patterns, breezy "oh"s for color. Something like that.
The Neighbourhood Council - "Liver And Tan" (MP3)
Hear the equally worthy "She Brave Soul" at MySpace. The Council's five-track EP was recorded at CJSW, the campus radio station at the University of Calgary, in mid April. While the four Councilers are all currently Calgarians, they told us "we will be moving to Montreal progressively over the next 6 months." Additionally, they might be doing a tour in August -- updates when we have them. They don't have a label. For now, if you want to buy a copy of the EP, you should email the band. As they told us, "[we] make burn and labour over every one of them." See, there's that Pacific Northwest D.I.Y. thing again.
Posted at 10:48 AM by stereogum in Band To Watch, MP3
Tags: The Neighbourhood Council
Ah. Maybe I should have went to listen to them instead of doing my calculus assignment. Surprised they made it all the way to Stereogum's page. Bravo.
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i've seen these guys play twice, once opening for deerhunter.
everything about the band is crafted so delicately and perfectly.
never pass up a chance to see them live.
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Nice. music. Thanx for the intro to the band.
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this band is awesome
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it's so great - and quite surprising (since they've been around for only a year now) - that this band is getting attention. Between Women, Azeda Booth and the Neighbourhood Council, there's some insanely talented acts popping out of Calgary (and mostly just over the past year or so; sorta surreal).
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Intriguing band, though I'll admit that read the article led me to expect something a bit different than what I received. Regardless, I'll definitely have to keep an eye out for this band if only to see how far their talent can take them.
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Nice. I like this a lot.
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