December 9-16, 2004

musicpicks

Les Georges Leningrad

Rock/pop

Remember The Residents? Neither do we. Know this, though: They wore top hats and eyeball masks to match their peerless prankster pop. This made them a sight to see, whether you loved or loathed the music. The same rule of relevance applies to Montreal's Les Georges Leningrad. The trio performs in absurd Flinstones-a-go-go attire, while playing a tease-a-rama sideshow of disco-punk. Vocalist Poney P. puts it best. Expect "a petrochemical act of snow-wave music involving raw beats and tear-jerking squeaks," she says. "At the end we will die." This suggests the ghastly scenario of G.G. Allin fronting a bad synth-garage band. Which is unfair, because Leningrad approaches accessibility on its latest LP, Sur les traces de Black Eskimo (Alien8). Maybe skims is a better word than approaches: They're still as wry, warped and Canadian as a prime-grade Kids in the Hall skit.

Thu., Dec. 9, 9 p.m., $8, with V.I.P. and Man Man, The Khyber, 56 S. Second St., 215-238-5888.

—Andrew Parks