Cave Singers, CocoRosie, Junior Brown, The Minus Five

CAVE SINGERS
Not to kiss too much ass, but Matador knows what’s up. Sharing a label with Cat Power, Sonic Youth, Mogwai, New Pornographers and Yo La Tengo, Cave Singers has been one of the newer bands to actually impress me lately with their dangerously catchy single “Dancing On Our Graves”. The Seattle trio are experienced musicians, having risen from the ashes of their former bands (including Pretty Girls Make Graves) to create a surprising breed of quirky folk. Strangely dark beats and war marches give backbone to a tick-tick-ticking sound made with percussion-like tambourine, clapping, and brushed drums as well as vocals that give off the air of a higher-pitched Ryan Adams. Announced as their favorite bands, Fleetwood Mac, The Replacements, and The Pixies serve as apparent influences. Throw some Townes Van Zandt in there and you’ve got yourself a couple of dudes singing in a cave. (Appearing with Lightning Dust and Bailiff at Schubas on September 12) –text: Katie Bordner

COCOROSIE
It seems that even CocoRosie themselves cannot describe their music. Their MySpace page labels them as “a capella Chinese pop”, but their sound is neither a capella nor Chinese, seeing as it is made by two American sisters living in France with the various synthesizers and children’s toys they employ for accompaniment. Their music and lyrics seem to come from a child’s imagination — and the childhood that Bianca Leilani and Sierra Rose shared was one that undoubtedly created some fascinating personalities. Their Native American shaman father and patchwork home lives gave way to songs and albums that recount aimless, fantastic stories sung in Bianca’s extraordinarily innocent-sounding voice. Her voice, occasionally computerized and backed by a drum machine, is hypnotic in its vague repetitions akin to a chant or mantra. CocoRosie attempts to create a totally one-of-a-kind spiritual experience, but it’s up to you to decide whether or not they’re successful. (Appearing with Katie Stelmanis at Logan Square Auditorium on September 11) –text: Diana Novak–photo: Brian Buchard

JUNIOR BROWN
If Junior Brown weren’t such a breezy hound, he’d probably take one glimpse at today’s country music industry and spray fecal matter in disgust throughout his undergarments. (Jesus Cross-Hanging Christ: sequin shirts and designer leather pants? Really?) As Brown’s idol and mentor Ernest Tubbs might put it, “Keep in country son.” Junior Brown sprouted and has let his steel guitar seed flow with the breeze since his days of playing solely Austin, Texas, shows in his town of birth. After the luck of broad success here in the States struck, the lap-steel king of tolerable country took his act across ye olde glorious pond and caught on there in a major way as well. Brown was also fortunate enough to find the one he loved by doing what he loved. While he was teaching guitar, one of Brown’s students, “the lovely miss Tanya Rae,” became his wife — and the two have since set up shop in Austin to carry out the rest of their musically enchanted lives. (Appearing at FitzGerald’s on September 12) –text: Benjamin Smithson

THE MINUS FIVE
Scott McCaughey has maintained an enduring musical living for himself by creating Frankenstein after Frankenstein under the name of The Minus Five. Let’s see, here we go: McCaughey’s most frequent bandmate is one Peter Buck of R.E.M. He’s also worked with Ken Auer and Ken Stringfellow of The Posies. He’s worked with Wilco. He’s collaborated with The Young Fresh Fellows, Mark Eitzel, Robyn Hitchcock, Tuatara, Kelly Hogan, and Colin Meloy of The Decemberists. There are many more, but there are also word count guillotines dangling overhead. Nowadays, The Minus Five are only four. McCaughey, Buck, Bill Rieflen, and John Ramberg bring their no-bullshit rock grooves (one would have to expect wonderful grooves given song titles like “The Town That Lost Its Groove” and “Groove Supply”) to Chicago on, watch out, 9/11 — for a night of uniquely American rock & roll. (Appearing with The Baseball Project and Steve Wynn IV at Martyrs’ on September 11) –text: Benjamin Smithson–photo: Chloe Johnson