Three Imaginary Girls - The Kindness Kind

Win two tickets to see Bronze Fawn's last show at Neumo's {11/18}

heather hydra — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 19:39:16 +0000

Listen up: November 18th will be the last time Bronze Fawn graces any stage. Their bio mentions the sound of the band being "lush... shoegaze with 70's-inspired prog-psychedelia" which, in my book, translates to GOOD TIMES. Get your drink on (this is a 21+ show) if you drink, smoke if you got 'em, or whatever your pleasure may be. Also, if you show up, we can whisper all sorts of things about Bryce Shoemaker... he plays guitar in Bronze Fawn and is a former school-mate of mine. Can anyone say "drama club"?

You. Me. Bronze Fawn. Last show. November 18th. Neumos. 21+. And guess what? We've got two tickets to give away!

To enter the contest, simply email tig {at} threeimaginarygirls dot com with the subject line DontStopBelievinInBryce, and tell us why you deserve to win. The more creative, the better! And you only have until November 16th at noon to enter... so don't delay.

As if you need more convincing, Bronze Fawn will be playing with Eighteen Individual Eyes. Think Blonde Redhead with a healthy side of rock, and just a smidge of late 90's/early 00's mathiness. If any of you out there were ever into Primrosa, you will probably be into Eighteen Individual Eyes -- point is, they're not to be missed.

Basically, you will totally cry into your Four Loco if you miss this show. No joke-o.

{Photo courtesy of Dan Wick / BronzeFawn.com}

Tonight's recommended show: The Croc opens its doors

ChrisB — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 13:26:27 +0000

Well, kids, the night is finally here. The legendary Crocodile is once again opening its doors after about 15 years and everyone (who is 21 or older) is invited.

First shows announced for the Crocodile -- and they're free!

ChrisB — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 00:15:45 +0000

The speculation can (finally) end now for who will be playing the first nights at The Crocodile. It was just announced today that the club will open with two free shows of excellent local bands on Thursday and Friday.

Best of 2008: Top Northwest Releases of 2008 Readers' Poll Winners

three imaginary girls — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 21:08:31 +0000

Upset. The word of the our 2008 Best Northwest Releases of 2008 Readers' Poll is upset.

With the Fleet Foxes winning readers and critical polls alike, who would've thought they wouldn't get top honors in our humble little Northwest poll? But they didn't -- they placed a distant second to New Faces, another debut record from some very talented, very young Northwest fellas.

We had other surprises as well, with unsigned newcomers such as Hey Marseilles, the Kindness Kind, and Kaylee Cole cracking the top ten, beating out Northwest heavyweights such as Death Cab for Cutie. We did not expect that. And we love it when you surprise us, dear readers.

We imaginaries like to champion the up-and-comers from the Northwest, and our results indicate that you do as well. We think you all also have fabulous taste, as always. Thanks to everyone who participated in our poll. We couldn't be more proud or thrilled to present the top 50 winners on your behalf...

Winners of the TIG Top Northwest Releases of 2008 Readers' Poll:

50. Michael Vermillion - Last Night on Earth {info}
49. Jared Mees and the Grown Children - Caffeine, Alchohol, Sunshine, Money {album review}
48. Destruction Island - Destruction Island Preaches the New Wilderness
47. Boy Eats Drums Machine - Booomboxxx
46. The Apple War - Alarm Bell City {live show review}
45. The Hungry Pines - Golden You {info}
44. Hypatia Lake - Angels & Demons Space & Time {info}
43. All Girl Summer Fun Band - Looking Into It {live show review}
42. The Dandy Warhols - ...Earth to the Dandy Warhols... {info}
41. By Sunlight - By Sunlight
40. Blue Scholars - Butter and Guns {info}
39. Parenthetical Girls - Entanglements {album review}
38. Your Heart Breaks - Love is a Long Dark Road
37. Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan - Sunday at Devil Dirt {info}
36. H is for Hellgate - Come for the peaks stay for the valleys {info}
35. Andrea Wittgens - In The Skyline {info}
34. Common Market - Black Patch War {album review}
33. Colin Meloy - Colin Meloy Sings Live! {album review}
32. Chris Walla - Field Manual {album review}
31. Head Like a Kite - There Is Loud Laughter Everywhere {album review}
30. Lake - Oh, the Places You'll Go
29. BOAT - Topps {info}
28. 31 Knots - Worried Well {info}
27. Gutter Twins - Saturnalia {album review}
26. Moondoggies - Don't Be A Stranger {info}
25. Mark Pickerel & His Praying Hands - Cody's Dream {album review}
24. Tea for Julie - The Sense in Tying Knots {album review}
23. Central Services - Central Services Presents... The Board of Education! {info}
22. These Arms Are Snakes - Tail Swallower & Dove {info}
21. Speaker Speaker - Call It Off {info}
20. Sera Cahoone - Only As the Day Is Long {album review}
19. Dutchess and the Duke - She's the Dutchess, He's the Duke {live show review}
18. The Saturday Knights - Mingle {album review}
17. Throw Me The Statue - Moonbeams {album review}
16. Helms Alee - Night Terror {live show review}
15. Natalie Portman's Shaved Head - Glistening Pleasure {live show review}
14. Death Cab for Cute - Narrow Stairs {album review}
13. Voyager One - Afterhours in the Afterlife {album review}
12. Shane Tutmarc and the Traveling Mercies - Hey Lazarus {album review}
11. Black Nite Crash - Array {info}
10. Damien Jurado - Caught In The Trees {album review}
9. Blitzen Trapper - Furr {album review}
8. Grand Archives - Grand Archives {album review}
7. Hey Marseilles - To Travels and Trunks {live show review}
6. Helio Sequence - Keep Your Eyes Ahead {album review}
5. Man Plus - Hungarian Suicide Songbook {album review}
4. The Kindness Kind - The Kindness Kind {info}
3. Kaylee Cole - We're Still Here Missing You {live show review}
2. Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes {album review}
1. New Faces - Two Years {album review}

Bestof2008-180.jpg

Upset. The word of the our 2008 Best Northwest Releases of 2008 Readers' Poll is upset.

Best of 2008: Top Northwest Releases of 2008 TIG Editorial Picks

three imaginary girls — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 20:10:11 +0000

TIG staffers are a lot like you -- coming up with our list of faves for the year is a fun and gripping process. After comparing/contrasting/debating our individual favorites, we figured the sum of our imaginary parts would make for an interesting list.

While ChrisB and Keenan, among other things, brought in the power-pop elements, Chris Estey stood by the smartie subtle elements of this year's Northwest offerings. Imaginary liz, as usual, loved the lo-fi and indie-pop songs, while imaginary dana spent much of the year obessed with Throw the the Statue and of course, the Fleet Foxes. And nearly all of us agreed that the Saturday Knights album was a force to be reckoned with. Here's our our staff votes tallied up...

Top Northwest Releases of 2008, TIG Editorial Picks:

25. The Nextdoor Neighbors - Magic Vs The Machine {live show review}
24. The Dead Science - Villanaire {album review}
23. H is for Hellgate - Come for the peaks stay for the valleys {info}
22. Kay Kay and His Weathered Underdround - Kay Kay and His Weathered Underdround {live show review}
21. BOAT - Topps EP {live show review}
20. LoveLand - The Beautiful Truth {info}
19. Damien Jurado - Caught In The Trees {album review}
18. Common Market - Black Patch War {album review}
17. Chris Walla - Field Manual {album review}
16. Hey Marseilles - To Travels and Trunks {live show review}
15. Jared Mees and the Grown Children - Caffeine, Alchohol, Sunshine, Money {album review}
14. Grand Archives - Grand Archives {album review}
13. Man Plus - Hungarian Suicide Songbook {album review}
12. Wallpaper - On The Chewing Gum Ground
11. (TIE) Young Sportsmen - If You Want It {album review}
11. (TIE) Doll Test - Mosque Alarm Clock
10. The Pica Beats - Beating Back the Claws of the Cold {info}
9. Team Gina - Products of the 80s {album review}
8. The Kindness Kind - The Kindness Kind {info}
7. The Pharmacy - Choose Ur Own Adventure {info}
6. Throw Me The Statue - Moonbeams {album review}
5. Dutchess and the Duke - She's the Dutchess, He's the Duke {live show review}
4. The Old Haunts - Poisonous Times {live show review}
3. All Girl Summer Fun Band - Looking Into It {live show review}
2. Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes {album review}
1. The Saturday Knights - Mingle {album review}

Peruse some of individual staffer favs:

Amelia Gydé
ChrisB
Chris Estey
Erik Gonzalez
keenan dowers
Kyle Johnson {his photos} {other's photos}
imaginary dana
imaginary liz
Shrie

skwinner.jpg

Join us for the Winter Holiday Spectacular tomorrow night at Chop Suey

imaginary liz — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 18:28:24 +0000

Tomorrow night (Saturday, December 27th) is the night of the BIG Three Imaginary Girls Winter Holiday Spectacular at Chop Suey and we'd love to have you there to celebrate all those December holidays and raise funds for a great local charity (Soild Ground).

TIG presents: Winter Holiday Spectacular with Telekinesis,The Kindness Kind, Hey Marseilles, M. Bison, Indie-Rock Santa and more

three imaginary girls — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 17:54:18 +0000

It's Ho Ho Holiday time and that means it's time for the joyous Three Imaginary Girls Holiday Party!

Join us for the TIG Winter Holiday Spectacular at Chop Suey on Saturday, December 27th. The night will be packed with fun big enough to help you forget about any holiday drama and celebrate all those December holidays (including but not limited to imaginary Liz's birthday).

This year the Winter Holiday Spectacular will feature performances from six of our favorite Seattle bands:

Telekinesis {just added to the bill}
The Kindness Kind
Hey Marseilles
M. Bison
Star Lake Drownings
The Femurs
The Mangles

You can also have a keepsake of the spectacularly good times for your mantel! Indie Rock Santa John Roderick (of The Long Winters) will have his lap available so you can pose with him to have your picture taken by the lovely and talented Laura Musselman for free. Also on tap, we'll have the legendary Jim Anderson (from the Crocodile) manning the soundboard for the night.

The best part of the evening is that all proceeds will benefit Soild Ground, an organization that builds community to end poverty. Each year they give 33,000 families each year the services, resources and support they need to overcome homelessness, hunger and despair. They also mobilize people to create public and private policies that are responsive to the needs of low-income people.

It's our end of the year blow-out so there will be no-holds-barred on what the evening will have in store.

Come mistle-toe one on with us!

{Special thanks to the evening's sponsors: Easy Street Records and Seattle Show Posters}

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

More about the bands:

The Kindness Kind
Updating electronic pop with intricate hooks and Cure-inspired vocals that make us emphatically smile, dance and sing along.

Hey Marseilles
Hey Marseilles create lush soundscapes that mash folky indie pop with your favorite orchestra instruments (including cello, trumpet, and accordion to name a few).

M. Bison
This quartet's songs mix of showtuney Ben Folds Five keyboards with singalong vocals (that every once in a while have a distinct Squeeze feel) and poppy guitar jabs.

Star Lake Drownings
Formerly known as Stella by Starlight, SLD infuses shoegazer into our favorite parts of the Rentals and early Belly.

The Femurs
It makes sense that we'd spend the holidays with the first band that Dana and Liz ever interviewed together. We love Rob Femur and his Ramones-infused indie-folk that brings to mind both early Violent Femmes with Beach Boys harmonies.

The Mangles
We are so excited to celebrate the night with The Mangles. They will start the night off with a fun bang as they cover The Bangles and perhaps even sneak Liz's favorite theme song into the mix.

lizbdayshow2008dec-sm.jpg

Join us for the TIG Winter Holiday Spectacular at Chop Suey on Saturday, December 27th.

Chris B's Top 10 NW Releases of 2008

ChrisB — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 05:31:14 +0000

Here are the ten Northwest albums that made my iPod a happier place in 2008.

New Kindness Kind record (and shows) coming soon

ChrisB — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 17:04:22 +0000

The Kindness Kind's record will be released in November 18 with the CD release party two days later at The Tractor with The Rosebuds.

elle's Georgetown Music Fest Wrap-up

elle — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 19:10:46 +0000

I'm all for a festival surrounded by the little guy.

Northwest goodness at the Georgetown Music Festival

elle — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 21:18:45 +0000

There is plenty of Friday and Saturday afternoon to catch the route 60, 131, 134, or 170 to catch this little festival with a big Northwest line-up.

Voyager One CD release show

Mike Mess — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 06:41:45 +0000

5 Apr 2008

voyagerone08apr.jpg

I first heard Voyager One back in 2001 and have always been curious about their live shows, and Saturday night was a perfect chance to catch them along with some other local flavor freshly returning to town. Beforehand, I got excited for the show while listening to the other artists that would be sharing the stage. It seems like all of the bands have clear visions of what they are and express their messages well through song.

Seattle’s the Kindness Kind came out right on time and began the show a bit timidly, but warmed up to the early crowd with a proficient performance. Their music was energetic at times didn't quite fully materialize during their half-hour set. While the Alessandra’s vocal performance was passionate, the band didn't really interact well enough to fully propel their emotionally-tinged rock off the stage and into the crowd. I imagine that a more intimate setting would work better for this band and would truly welcome the chance to see them at a smaller venue.

The Upsidedown’s bridging of rockabilly and psyche rock, or sexy-psyche, is seamless and they really brought it this evening. Jsun Adams’ full and deep vocals poured over the show-goers so much better live than on record; the band reached out and grabbed the venue by the lapels. These lads and lasses were truly a pleasure to watch as their set smoothly progressed from droning psychedelic dirges to full-on rock songs and caused no whiplash whatsoever. The next time the band makes the short trip to Seattle I will certainly be there and get my friends to come with me.

The groovy two-man Head Like a Kite had a strange droning and electro/clash feel to them, yet they were all about the party. Imagine the more uptempo songs from Her Space Holiday or even Eno with dashes of Gang of Four or even Urge Overkill interspersed to add flavor and emphasis. Trent Moorman’s phenomenal drumming is unbelievable, making transitions within transitions and constantly progressing the song patterns forward. I was absolutely transfixed on his skills. The band's excitability was infectious and only occasionally crossed the line into cheesiness, and then only briefly. You can’t be faulted for having a good time.

By the time Voyager One took the stage the room was virtually full, awaiting their epic brand of rock to wash over the crowd with their luscious rolling music as art. The most intriguing aspect of their music, live and on record, is that the sounds never overpower each other even while growing to a critical mass, and this tradition continues on the new songs played live from Afterhours in the Afterlife. The performance was laid back yet driven and conversely purposeful, full of long droning tones and pulsating bass. While most shoegazer bands tend to lull the listener into a dream state, Voyager One’s music has a way of propelling the the audience forward to higher plains. Projectorhead’s visual display provided the perfect accomplice, adding yet another layer to the dense concert experience.

This entire show had more cohesion than most planned national tours out there. Each band stood on its own merits while also preparing the audience for the next band throughout the whole evening, creating a feeling of unity for the entire show. I came away from this show with a few more bands to get excited about going to see, as they were all talented and put on quality performances.

A well-rounded local line-up assembled to celebrate the release of Voyager One's new record, Afterhours in the Afterlife.

A Novel

ChrisB — Mon, 31 Dec 2007 01:04:07 +0000

http://cdbaby.com/cd/kindnesskind

kindnesskind.jpg

When I reviewed the CD release show for the Kindness Kind’s debut album, A Novel, my review left me with a bad feeling. It wasn't an enjoyable evening for me, though not the band’s fault. I vowed to give extra scrutiny to any planned future visits to the High Dive (especially on a weekend night), but I wanted to go back and revisit the album later to see what (if anything) I missed from my earlier review, after the unpleasantness of the Fremont on a Friday crowd was just a faded memory.

This is what I wrote of the record itself (I know, I know, only the most self-obsessed writers quote themselves at length):

The record itself is a collection of Cure or Smiths-influenced personal pop songs, with a few hints of trip hop thrown in for good measure. Songs like "Street Song" and "Midnight Flights" work so well because they have a tension that continues to build, driven by guitars and complimented by the vocals. The electronic samples and effects accentuate the lyrics and are not a distraction from them. The songs were well-written and put together nicely. Everything noticeable on the album (instrumentation, vocals, songwriting, production, etc...) really does seem to click.

Before I sat down at my computer to reconsider the album (and after not having seriously listened to the album since I wrote the review of the show), I had mostly forgotten what I had written, yet found the notes I took were nearly identical to what was in my initial review. The gothic pop influences of the Smiths and the Cure were still obvious but the more I listened to the record, the more I began to notice that Alessandra Rose’s voice reminded me of Regina Spektor’s. It’s jarring but not grating, neither soft nor overpowering, yet it makes it easy to notice and is far more of a presence on the album then in a live setting.

Also, when I noted that the tension that continuously builds on tracks like “Street Song” and “Midnight Flights,” I noticed it was more of a common trait in more songs on the album, like “Quiet Words are Quiet Words” and “Perfect." It's one trait that makes songs from the Kindness Kind instantly identifiable. When the songs have nowhere else to go after they’ve built up as far as they can, they just stop. It works so well because there's not a cool down where the song fades away; instead they go head first in to the next track. Because of this, the sequencing doesn’t really matter and the record itself plays as good on shuffle as it does as being played from beginning to end.

The one difference I noticed was that my favorite track on the album changed. “Street Song” was the one I most appreciated when I first listened to the album, but now “Perfect" is the one I want to hear now and again (and again). It's the most straight-forward rock song on A Novel, but I missed the xylophone and the nice use of feedback at the end of the song, and how it complements the driving, steady drum beat. Rose’s voice is the strongest I’ve heard it and she sounds like a rock star trying to break free of softer pop/trip hop band and drags the band (especially the electric guitar parts) where she wants to go.

A Novel really does get progressively better after each listen, and was definitely worth the revisit. Each time I listened to it I noticed a different layer of production or some strings that were missing from my memory. This really is a meticulously composed album in every step from songwriting to mastering. I’m sure I’ll be spending even more time in the New Year with this album and discovering other neat little bits again for the first time.

This really is a meticulously composed album in every step from songwriting to mastering.

The Kindness Kind's CD release

ChrisB — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 01:14:18 +0000

2 Nov 2007

kindnesskind07nov2.jpg

On most weekends, nightclubs in Fremont are rarely vacant, and usually pretty close to full. The booking is largely irrelevant. Still, if a band is nervous about playing to a small crowd for their CD release, a Friday night booking at the High Dive makes sense.

For the Kindness Kind, a terrific local indie-pop band, that was the route they chose to celebrate the release of their first LP, The Novel. Even with this show starting unusually late (the Kindness Kind finally started playing at 12:30 am), the High Dive was packed – uncomfortably so. I don’t know if the show was sold out, but you could not fit too many more people in the club. While it made it difficult to access the bar and restrooms, it must have been a good feeling for the band to see so many people at their show.

When they did finally start playing, the band played nine songs from The Novel, with the set lasting for around 45 minutes. The band was tight and hit most of their notes, playing behind an almost Phil Spector-like “Wall of Sound." Unfortunately, the sound mixing was off and it was difficult to hear the immensely likeable but soft-spoken lead singer Alessandra Rose. She started out seemingly nervous but grew more confident as the set went on. I wish she would have asked for more vocals in the monitors, but that's a minor quibble. Moreover, it would have been difficult to replicate the mixing on the album in a live setting, where Rose’s harmonies are crystal-clear but not overwhelming. Live, I preferred the ballads like “Roadmaps and Guidebooks,” “The Waiting Room,” and “I Pilot” because they gave Rose’s voice the opportunity to be heard.

The record itself is a collection of Cure or Smiths-influenced personal pop songs, with a few hints of trip hop thrown in for good measure. Songs like “Street Song” and “Midnight Flights” work so well because they have a tension that continues to build, driven by guitars and complimented by the vocals. The electronic samples and effects accentuate the lyrics and are not a distraction from them. The songs were well-written and put together nicely. Everything noticeable on the album (instrumentation, vocals, songwriting, production, etc…) really does seem to click.

Even though I complain about how the sound was mixed (no doubt spoiled by the countless nights I’ve witnessed Jim Anderson engineer sound at the Crocodile), this show should very much be considered a triumph for the Kindness Kind. They played to a packed house with lots of their friends in attendance and had fun doing it. Moreover, this is not a show for a cranky writer to nitpick over details. It was a night to celebrate the time and hard work that went into creating a very strong debut album. It was the Kindness Kind’s night, not mine.

Setlist:
1. Climb in the Sun
2. Street Song
3. Perfect
4. I Pilot
5. Roadmaps and Guidebooks
6. The Rain Came Late
7. Quiet Words are Quiet Words
8. Midnight Flights
9. The Waiting Room

Excited for REVERB

imaginary dana — Fri, 05 Oct 2007 14:56:00 +0000

Who do YOU think are the must-see local bands at REVERB?

KEXP and TIG present an Audioasis showcase for the girls

imaginary dana — Tue, 31 Jul 2007 21:52:42 +0000

The show will take place this Saturday, August 4th at the High Dive in Fremont, and will be a night for the girls!

Fests are upon us: Part 1: Georgetown Music Festival

imaginary dana — Wed, 02 May 2007 18:40:06 +0000

While Bumbershoot and the Capitol Hill Block Party have grown to astronomical (read as: huge touring bands) proportions, The Georgetown Music Festival is keeping it local as can be, with a preliminary lineup of loads of Seattle- (and a few Portland) based bands prepared to rock South Seattle this June 2-3.