September 2- 8, 2004

musicpicks

Electrelane

Rock/pop Simplicity rocks. Density rolls. And these four gals from Brighton come crashing through the wakes of England's Brit-pop and riot-grrrl movements. Indie kids with a clue eat up Electrelane's jingly-jangly guitar-rock and one- and two-note chord progressions. The quartet is often filed next to Stereolab due to its heavy use of the Farfisa organ, looping riffs, Mia Clarke's minimal guitar plucking and Verity Susman's cool, monotone vocals — sung in French, German, Spanish and English (because it sounds better that way). It's a cold, rigid attitude. Meanwhile, drummer Emma Gaze and bassist Rachel Dalley hold it all together with a pounding, uncomplicated, utterly danceable rhythm section reminiscent of labelmates Th' Faith Healers. The debut Rock It To the Moon (released on the band's Let's Rock! label) was light on vocals. The Steve Albini-produced The Power Out (Too Pure) maintains the shallow lightheartedness of bands like Le Tigre and Peaches while throwing a stiff post-punk punch right in the kisser.

Making Time with Electrelane, Dave P, Dave Pak, Mike Z., Diabolic, Julian S. Process, Rock Tits and more, Sun., Sept. 5, 10 p.m., $8-$10, Transit, 600 Spring Garden St., 215-925-8878.

—Sean O'Neal