MP3 Monday: Handsome Furs

Sometimes they rock and roll.. - By Morgan Short, Aug 17, 09

MP3 Monday is a weekly SmartShanghai.com column, serving up mp3s from bands living and making music in China (or coming to China, or thinking about coming to China, or whatever). Right click on the links and choose "Save Link As..." to download 'em. Click play to rock 'em.

Today's MP3s are in hot, hot anticipation of the big Handsome Furs concert at Yuyintang on September 5. An electro pop/indie rock two-piece from Montreal, Handsome Furs is the other band of Wolf Parade co-front man/guitarist Dan Boeckner. It's him and his wife, Alexei Perry, and they do good-time electro pop/ rock balladry.

That other band, Wolf Parade, came into indie rawk superstardom at around 2004, on the heels of a slew of other Canadian bands like Arcade Fire, Hot Hot Heat, Metric, Constantines, and New Pornographers. In those days it was believed that these Canadians, they have an aptitude for the indie rock. Wolf Parade were signed to Sub Pop by Modest Mouse singer Isaac Brock, who was acting as an A&R guy for the label at the time. Then they went on tour with Modest Mouse, and that, along with their critically acclaimed debut album Apologies to the Queen Mary, broke them in the States -- which is to say, The Universe. Wolf Parade reflects the song writing of two dudes: Boeckner (who was also in Atlas Strategic) and keyboardist / singer Spencer Krug, who was also in wonderful band Frog Eyes, and who also fronts the band Sunset Rubdown.

When it comes to the Wolf Parade, Krug gets most of the credit, and when Boeckner started Handsome Furs with his wife, he famously described the band thusly (to Pitchfork): "[It's] basically Wolf Parade without the guy that everybody likes and no real instruments... with a drum machine instead of a drummer."

Handsome Furs went on to release a critically-acclaimed debut album called Plague Park in 2007, and then another critically-acclaimed album earlier this year called Face Control. The really quite good-ness of both albums has cemented the reputation of Handsome Furs as not just another side project between Wolf Parade albums, but really quite a good band in their own right.

Here's some solid Wolf Parade with Boeckner singin'. It's off the aforementioned debut.

Wolf Parade - This Heart is On Fire

This song is from that first Handsome Furs album, Plague Park.

Handsome Furs - Cannot Get Started

And this is the single from the one that was released this year, Face Control.

Handsome Furs - I'm Confused

Promises to be a real good one. Thumbs up. Don't miss out.

Split Works pres. Handsome Furs at Yuyintang on September 5. Cover is 80rmb.

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