Three Imaginary Girls - For Better or for Awesome

69 Love Songs Pre-Valentine's Day Bash!

three imaginary girls — Fri, 20 Jan 2006 08:00:00 +0000

Three Imaginary Girls, Barsuk Records, and 90.3 KEXP present the songs of The Magnetic Fields as interpreted by members of The Long Winters, Vendetta Red, Rocky Votolato, Visqueen, Tullycraft, Harvey Danger, Kane Hodder, Transmissionary Six, Saeta, and many more. Thursday night, February 9th, at the Crocodile Cafe in Seattle, WA

Seattle, WA, January 20, 2006 — "We're Absolutely Cuckoo" for The Magnetic Fields. That's why Three Imaginary Girls has decided to celebrate Valentine's Day this year with a 69 Love Songs Pre-Valentine's Day Bash, co-sponsored by the mighty 90.3 KEXP and the amazing Barsuk Records.

The event will take place at the Crocodile Café on Thursday night, February 9th, and will feature collaborations from tons of Northwest musicians performing their favorite tracks from the 1999 Magnetic Field's 3-disc opus, 69 Love Songs.

The long list of performers includes members of The Long Winters, Vendetta Red, Rocky Votolato, Visqueen, Tullycraft, Harvey Danger, Kane Hodder, and many more. In honor of Valentine's Day, the night will feature three great performance of love — of both the romantic and fraternal nature:

Lovebirds Eric Corson (The Long Winters) and Anna Lange (Dutch Elms) will debut their lo-fi side project, Fork and Spoon.
Newlyweds Andrew Moore (Kane Hodder) and Alissabeth Newton (ex-The Catch) will perform as their aptly named band, For Better Or For Awesome.
Rock and roll brothers Rocky Votolato (formerly of Waxwing) and Sonny Votolato (Slender Means) will dazzle the crowd with their amazingly talented genes.

The full roster of performers, with monikers, includes:

Barsuk Record's Rocky Votolato and Sonny Vototalo {Slender Means}
Fork and Spoon, featuring Eric Corson {of Barsuk Record's The Long Winters} and Anna Lange {The Dutch Elms}
Rachel Flotard {Visqueen}
Zach Davidson {Sony Records' Vendetta Red) and Sameer Shukla
Magic Marker Records' Tullycraft
Math and Physics Club
Breno Dakota {featuring members of Daylight Basement}
For Better Or For Awesome featuring Andrew Moore {Kane Hodder} and Alissabeth Newton {ex-The Catch}
Sean Nelson and His Mortal Enemies {Harvey Danger}
Piglét, France's greatest porcine illusionist (aka writer Kurt B. Reighley)
Just added! The Transmissionary Six
Just added! Saeta (featuring Lesli Wood of Ms. Led)

The outrageous Adrian Lefleur of Iron Composer fame (coming soon to the Game Show Network) will emcee the event and will raffle off a variety of fabulous indie-rock themed prize packs throughout the night.

"Since Stephin Merritt rarely tours, we figured the next best thing would be to have a bunch of our favorite bands cover the songs. I am giddy with anticipation," said Liz Riley, co-founder of Three Imaginary Girls.

Three Imaginary Girls will also run a "Tell Us Your 69 Love Songs Love Story" themed-contest. Readers can submit their stories of how 69 Love Songs impacted their love lives, and the best submission will receive a pair of free tickets to the show. The imaginary girls will read the best stories between sets throughout the night.

"The crazy thing about 69 Love Songs is that no matter where you are romantically, it's fitting," Dana Bos, also a co-founder. "You can rejoice, court, break-up, kiss, wed, laugh, fight, or drink with that album."

"I can't wait to hear who sings 'Underwear,'" said imaginary girl Char. "I hope he changes the lyrics to 'A pretty imaginary girl, in her underwear.'"

If there's anything better in this world — who cares?

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THE JUICY DETAILS
WHAT: Three Imaginary Girls 69 Love Songs Pre-Valentine's Day Bash. Co-sponsored by 90.3 KEXP and Barsuk Records.
WHERE: The Crocodile Café, 2200 2nd Avenue. Seattle, WA
WHEN: Thursday, February 9, 2006. Doors open 8p. 21+.
COST: $7. Advance tickets available through Ticketweb.

ABOUT THREE IMAGINARY GIRLS
ThreeImaginaryGirls.com is a Seattle-based website that showcases the great music of the Northwest to music lovers worldwide. During the past three+ years, the site has featured reviews of albums, live music, film, theater, interviews, political commentary, and even love advice, in Seattle and beyond. The girls also book music showcases, contribute to other music publications (including The Stranger, Tablet Magazine, and Music for America), and make guest radio appearances on 90.3 KEXP. The girls were voted "MVP of Seattle Music 2004" by readers of the Seattle Weekly, and were listed in Seattle Magazine's Most Influential People issue. Intrigued? For more information, contact: tig@threeimaginarygirls.com.

ABOUT KEXP 90.3 FM
KEXP 90.3 FM is a public radio station in Seattle with a mission to enrich people's lives with a unique wide and deep approach to music programming. Knowledgeable hosts hand-pick music including indie rock, world music, blues, jazz, hip hop and electronic from its collection of approximately 500,000 titles. The station also broadcasts more than 250 live performances each year. KEXP programming is also heard on the web at KEXP.org. KEXP 90.3 FM is governed by Friends of KEXP, an independent non-profit organization with an agreement to operate 90.3 FM on behalf of the University of Washington which holds the FCC license.

ABOUT BARSUK RECORDS
Founded in the late '90s by friends and band mates Josh Rosenfeld and Christopher Possanza as a way to put out music by their own band (This Busy Monster) and their friends' bands (including Death Cab for Cutie, Little Champions, Abigail Grush), Barsuk Records has grown and flourished over the years. Focused not on any specific genre, but simply on supporting quality songwriting and unique creativity, Barsuk has helped introduce the world to such phenomenally talented artists as The Long Winters, Jesse Sykes & The Sweet Hereafter, Aqueduct, John Vanderslice, Rilo Kiley, and Nada Surf. Barsuk Records continues to expand its roster into 2006 (with upcoming releases from Rocky Votolato, Mates of State, Starlight Mints and Viva Voce), and promises to be a bastion of quality music for years to come.

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Three Imaginary Girls, Barsuk Records, and 90.3 KEXP present the songs of The Magnetic Fields as interpreted by members of The Long Winters, Vendetta Red, Rocky Votolato, Visqueen, Tullycraft, Harvey Danger, Kane Hodder, Transmissionary Six, Saeta, and many more.

TIG on KEXP for November 2005

three imaginary girls — Sun, 20 Nov 2005 08:00:00 +0000

It's rainy and a bit gray outside. And as much as I love not having to worry about getting sunburned, it is a good thing we have KEXP to be our aural pick me up cup of coffee. On a recent Saturday evening, we were able to be a part of KEXP's Audioasis action. We combed our mailbin and the internet and found some songs we're excited to share with you, our like-minded indie-rock friends.

{7:08} Speaker Speaker — "Statues/Shadows"
We snagged this track from Speaker Speaker's self-released EP, Again & Again & Again (apparently they like repetition). I instantly recognized the album art as one of my favorite local designer, Jesse LeDoux's work. You know that Shin's Chutes to Narrow album that is die cut and folds like a mini children's book?... that's Jesse.

Speaker Speaker packs more punch in a two-minute song than a spoonful of wasabi. You can listen to them again and again and again on. Their website has a bunch of streaming mp3's. Or, if you prefer something more along the lines of a live show, they have a show on December 22, 2005 at Chop Suey with The Senate Arcade, Juhu Beach, and White Gold.

{7:10} For Better or for Awesome — "Six Eight Equals Two"
For Better or for Awesome is a lo-fi garage-rock project of love from Andrew Moore of Kane Hodder (Guitar/Vocals) and ex-Catch drummer Alissabeth Newton (Drums/Vocals). It's a classic Seattle love story: Boy in band meets girl in band. They fall in love. They get married. They form a new band. They live happily ever after.

Alissa told me they gave away recordings of these songs at their wedding earlier this year. How sweet is that? No record or tour dates yet, but they have made their radio debut.

{7:14} Boat — "Clogged Castle"
Boat use lo-fi Shins and early Kinks smarts to write catchy melodies that are all at once charming, quirky, and beguiling. Live, they are overachievers with their on-stage construction paper cutouts, audience participation instrumentation, Christmas lights and free pudding. Off stage they are just as diligent. This year they have self-recorded and self-released two albums and an EP {with a double album set to be released in January, 2006}... all of which are in the running for a spot on my best of the year list!

Check them our yourself on Wednesday, November 16 at the Crocodile Cafe with Cars Can Be Blue and The Withholders. Or if ninjas take you captive and you can't escape for the show, go see them November 17 at the Nectar Lounge with White Gold, The Blakes and Crown Aruba. Or even better, go to both shows. That's what I'm doing.

{7:23} Daylight Basement — "Godspeed Girl"
Bre of Kuma, Dejha from the Rotten Apples, Davis from Maktub, and David from The Jeunes got together to form this super group. They've been together less than three months and have a self-released debut album, Any Kind of Pretty, scheduled for release in early December and are diligently booking gigs*. How's that for super? Any Kind of Pretty was recorded at London Bridge with Jonathan Plum. The MP3 for this track, "Godspeed Girl," is available for download right here!

Daylight Basement are less theatrical than Kuma, instead shifting their emphasis to whipsmart song-writing and big fun. The lyrics — brainy in the best Exile in Guyville way — come alive with Bre's unmatchable, sensual voice. She sizzles in a Lena Lovich meets Dale Bozzio meets Gwen Stefani sort of way. Her vocals soar over bouncy nu-wave electronics and fancy-pants, lush rock instrumentation. What's so funny is you have no idea how excited you are to hear this record. Seriously. And don't miss them live.

{7:27} Palisades — "This is How I Lay"
Palisades hail from Bellingham and we found them via the Bellingham Popular Music Festival website (they were part of the weekend-long benefit music-fest in early November, 2005). The songs we found via their myspace account are progressive yet playful indie rock melodies that hit mellow valleys and playfully abrasive peaks. And Palisades isn't the only musical outlet for this duo; Both Eli and Josh have their own side projects. You can check out Elijah's solo material here and Josh's experimental acoustic/electronic side project here.

{7:38} Airport Cathedral — "Cure-Alls"
The newest Burning Buildings Records release is the album Jetlag by Airport Cathedral. With vocals comparable to a softer J. Mascis and Pedro the Lion song stylings, Airport Cathedral have made one introspective, beguiling album. They have a free show booked for January 13, 2006 at the Mars Bar & Café Venus (best macaroni and cheese EVER!).

{7:42} Blue Checkered Record Player — "Rocketship"
Blue Checkered Record Player is not only one my top five tongue twister band names, they're also a contestant for my top local releases of 2005 — and not just because they have a song called "Imaginary Halos." Known for his previous and current musical endeavors {Fields of Mars, Lying on Loot, Bugs in Amber, and currently Slender Means}, BCRP is Sonny Votolato's solo project. Piano, organ, violin, cello, flute, saw, and drums alluringly intermingle throughout the self-titled record (released on Esoterik Musik). It is acoustic music with an orchestral and sometimes moody feel. BCRP's next show is November 18, 2005 at the Vera Project with Rocky Votolato, The Epochs and Invisible {all ages}.

So get yourself to a show. And if you find yourself in front of a radio on Saturday, December 3rd tune in to KEXP to hear our {un}imaginary voices. Who knows? We just might play your band.

'til then...

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And as much as I love not having to worry about getting sunburned, it is a good thing we have KEXP to be our aural pick me up cup of coffee. On this month's appearance, we played tracks from Speaker Speaker, for Better or for Awesome, Airport Cathedral, and more.