Three Imaginary Girls - Lost & Lonesome

Don't Break My Heart

Erik Gonzalez — Fri, 21 Sep 2007 14:27:07 +0000

6.8

http://www.amazon.com/Dont-Break-Heart-Fred-Astereo/dp/B000S1KPYW/

Fred Astereo’s Don’t Break My Heart is one of those albums that has a lot of promise buried in it, poking out on the surface where the erosion has exposed it. It is rough on the edges, needs some serious work on the production, but the songwriting chops are there. Don’t Break My Heart does have charm in spades and really, sometimes that is all you need to have a willing audience eating out of your hand.

Fred Astereo is sort of a Jens Lekman meets 70’s mellow pop rock with a heavy dose of the minimalist goofiness of James Kochalka. Yeah, really, it’s just like that. The title track is a bittersweet pop song that could be straight off the Barry Manilow back catalog, right down to the sort of cheap synthesizer sound driving the rhythm – we all love the “slow samba” setting on our Casios too. Not that there is anything particularly wrong with that, but man, if Fred had a little more production on this track, it would be a future karaoke tear jerker. On the other hand, the lo-fi sounds of Fred Astereo work to his advantage on the ukulele number, “Chuck it Out,” a charming sort-of-anti-love-song where Fred laments ”Is that your new boyfriend?/He looks a lot like me/but he seems happy/and I’m steeped in misery”. Some other charmers include “With the Exception of Saturn,” a sort of astronomical ode that dabbles in rings and orbital inclination, and “The Loneliest Guy,” a bit of 1950’s sock hop number except that he seems to reference killing his love (in an strange, offhand way). “Peas Don’t Ask for an Apology” is catchy pop song that has a sort of lo-fi 1980’s rock sound to it while “It’s Unofficial” takes on snyth-pop straight on. That song ends up taking a page from Future Bible Heroes and Freezepop with its stripped down synthsizer. Magnetic Fields never seems far from Fred Astereo and just hearing “When I Was Young and Cavalier” and you can tell there is Merritt on the mind. The song itself is bouncy and fun, especially with its emphasis on such an underused word like “cavalier” (nice job, Fred.) “Goodbye Cruel World” ends the album, with Fred feigning a Stephin Merritt voice over hushed backing vocals and the ubiquitous ukulele. It is a gem, tender and slow without getting too dark and ominous considering the subject matter.

Don’t Break My Heart is awfully cute and cuddly, but in a dark sort of way, maybe like a small owl that has a dead mouse in its claw. Yes, the owl is sure cute, with its big eyes and small feet and the mouse has its charms, but there is also something just a little off about the whole scene. That being said (and trying not to mix too many metaphors), Fred Astereo will definitely please all the folks into their off-kilter singer-songwriters, but he might need a few more innings in the minors before he’s ready for the big leagues.

Fred Astereo will definitely please all the folks into their off-kilter singer-songwriters, but he might need a few more innings in the minors before he’s ready for the big leagues.

The Lucksmiths make us giddy with a wee tour and massive new album!

imaginary liz — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 15:56:17 +0000

The news might have seeped out in the last couple weeks, but I am not sure if we here at imaginary headquarters have made it official: THE LUCKSMITHS ARE COMING TO SEATTLE!

A SXSW Indie Pop Hootenanny!!!

three imaginary girls — Tue, 27 Feb 2007 08:00:00 +0000

Three Imaginary Girls, Magic Marker Records, Music Nation, and KOOP 91.7FM to present a showcase of bands at SXSW 2007, including the Zebras, BOAT, The Manhattan Love Suicides, Tullycraft, The Faintest Ideas, and Palomar. Thursday afternoon, March 15th, at Lovejoy's in Austin, TX

Seattle, WA, February 21, 2007 —Hold onto yer cowboy hat and grab yer imaginary pardner, doh-se-doh! It's almost time for an Indie Pop Hootenanny!!

ThreeImaginaryGirls.com, Seattle's sparkly indie-pop press, is pleased as punch to announce their first-ever showcase at SXSW in Austin, Texas, with co-sponsors Magic Marker Records, Music Nation, and KOOP 91.7FM. The event will take place at Lovejoy's in Austin on Thursday, March 15, 2007, from 12-6p. The show is free to the public, with free beer (free beer!!), and delightful live music from the following international pop superstar bands:

12p: The Zebras (Brisbane, Australia)
1p: The Manhattan Love Suicides (Leeds, UK)
2p: BOAT (Seattle, WA)
3p: Tullycraft (Seattle, WA)
4p: The Faintest Ideas (Gothenburg, Sweden)
5p: Palomar (Brooklyn, NY)

"Liz and I had so much fun at last year's SXSW, we knew we wanted to come back and host a party of our own. We think we Northwest girls can entertain as well as any Southern belles... so c'mon out now, ya hear?" said imaginary girl Dana.

"It will be like spending an afternoon in a beer commercial bizarro world! We'll be hanging out at Lovejoy's with some kegs of Austin-brew, listening to delicious indie-pop from all over the world. Now that's what imaginary Spring Break memories are made from! Suck on that, Coors!" said imaginary girl Liz.

"Come check out the Manhattan Love Suicides at their first-ever US show," said Curt Kentner, co-owner of Magic Marker Records. "And drink of Lovejoy's finest!"

Three Imaginary Girls would love to meet ya'll in real life… and would love to raise a beer or two (or six) to their Northwest pals too. Please stop by! C'mon by now and say hi to your imaginary friends!

It's all so exciting, isn't it? Please address all questions, comments, or other SXSW showcase recommendations to tig@threeimaginarygirls.com.

THE JUICY DETAILS
WHAT: SXSW 2007 Indie Pop Hootenanny. Co-sponsored by Three Imaginary Girls, Magic Marker Records, Music Nation, and KOOP
WHERE: Lovejoy's. 604 Neches St Austin, TX 78701
WHEN: Thursday, March 15, 2007 from 12-6p. 21+.
COST: Free. Free beer too, while supplies last.

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RELEVANT BAND INFO:
The Zebras
Blending Teenage Fanclub soft guitar jangles and Go Betweens modesty, The Zebras make their Aussie lineage proud with sunny harmonies and sweet vocals for the simple pop purist in each of us.
Website: http://www.myspace.com/ilikezebras
MP3: http://microlips.blogspot.com/2007/02/zebras-tolbiac.html
Label: Lost & Lonesome

BOAT
Seattle's lo-fi troubadours celebrate their DIY ethic with smart, catchy songs and – if we're lucky – toy instrument play-alongs.
Website: http://boat.ohnodisaster.com
MP3: http://boat.ohnodisaster.com/mp3s/
Label: Magic Marker Records

The Manhattan Love Suicides
This Leeds foursome's fuzzed-out dream-pop recalls not only JAMC, but also the willowy female vocals of C86 alumni, the Shop Assistants.
Website: http://www.magicmarkerrecords.com/tmls.html
MP3: http://www.magicmarkerrecords.com/mp3/08_Suzy_Jones.mp3
Label: Magic Marker Records

Tullycraft
Tullycraft has secured a firm place in the hearts of indie-popsters everywhere with their delectable pop songs of awkward emotion and clever adorability. The band is in the midst of recording their new album so the usual critically acclaimed “Twee as Fuck” shtick will be peppered with brand new hook-laden songs (due for mid-2007 release).
Website: http://www.tullycraft.com
MP3: http://www.tullycraftnation.com/mp3s.html
Label: Magic Marker Records

The Faintest Ideas
The Faintest Ideas songs whiz by in less than 30 minutes, all crashing guitars and knocked-over drums, like Swedes doing their best impression of Wedding Present and Boyracer.
Website: http://www.magicmarkerrecords.com/tfi.html
MP3: http://www.magicmarkerrecords.com/mp3/nosebleede.mp3 Gothenburg, Sweden
Label: Magic Marker Records

Palomar
Palomar is a three-lady and one man outfit that hails from Brooklyn. They are part Fastbacks, part Talulah Gosh, and will charm you with girl-next-door coyness.
Website: http://www.palomarnyc.com
MP3: http://www.myspace.com/palomar
Label: Misra Records

SXSW_Day_Poster_sm.jpg

Three Imaginary Girls to sponsor our first-ever SXSW showcase on March 15, 2007 at Lovejoys, with The Zebras, BOAT, The Manhattan Love Suicides, Tullycraft, The Faintest Ideas, and Palomar. YeeeHAW!