This week's cool shows and music: Monsonia, Static Minds and more

This week's two best shows are tied to CD releases, and luckily for you, I have some music for you to check out before the shows.

The first is Monsonia, who will celebrate the release of "33.3," out now on Holidays for Quince, with a release party Friday, Nov. 12, at Nightlight. This record reminds me a lot of one of my all-time favorite bands, The Jesus Lizard, with a little Shellac and Honor Role thrown in. MAKE and Minor Stars are also on this show.

Also on the same night, Static Minds will celebrate their CD-release, "Electricity,"  with The Loners and Maldora at Kings. You can stream "Electricity" here.

Looking ahead, Brooklyn "transcendental black metalists" Liturgy will play with Nine Fingered Thug and Here Lies ... at Kings on Thursday, Nov. 18. They'll have a new album out on Thrill Jockey next year.


Finally, N.C. expats Future Islands, Lonnie Walker, NAPS and Veelee will be at Kings the following night, Nov. 19. Check out the Jason Urick remix of my favorite Future Islands song, "Tim Man," here.

Check out the video for Future Islands' Tin Man

Future Islands - Tin Man from Thrill Jockey Records on Vimeo.

It's been out for about a month, but I just now got around to watching it. LOVE the fact that it was partially filmed in my hometown. Lots of great, iconic Morehead City views from my childhood, including the vista from atop the Morehead/Beaufort bridge. And it's really funny that Janie Davenport (Miss Morehead 1970, spied briefly in the video) is a family friend. Great video and great song!

UPDATE! Jake Seaton rightfully reminded me that Future Islands did a killer session, including a version of Tin Man on Sessions from Studio B. Check it out!

Didn't see Citified, but did see Roosters and Future Islands

I went to The Pour House last night specifically to see Greensboro's Citified, but ended up missing them due to some unrelated birthday party festivities. In the process I ended up at Deep South bar which is located in the old Kulture location on Dawson Street. You can tell by the memorabilia everywhere that the folks who run it really love rock -- specifically '80s metal and classic rock. I was a little distracted, though, by the song lyrics all over the walls. From what I could tell, various folks who stopped into the bar were allowed to add their favorite lyrics. For the most part they were all fairly common lyrics, but everyone in our party was a little mystified that Stryper and Firehouse both made it up onto the wall.

Anyway, I got to the Pour House in time to see the new Roosters lineup. They have a slightly different sound too -- less dancy, more like early U2, which I guess isn't unusual considering they have so many new members. They also didn't seem to have their old energy on the earlier tunes, but got into it more toward the end.

Here are two videos from them.

A Rooster for the Masses from Mann's World on Vimeo.

Another one by A Rooster for the Masses from Mann's World on Vimeo.

After Roosters, we went over to Slim's and caught the tail end of Future Islands. Not only was the place packed, but I can honestly say I have never seen a crowd dance like that at Slim's! The floor was literally bouncing as I walked by. Check out the video from Future Islands.

Future Islands from Mann's World on Vimeo.