Polyvinyl Record Company is straight crushing 2017.
Of course, we could make that claim based solely on the label issuing Alvvays’ year-defining album Antisocialities, but of course it goes much deeper than that. New releases from Palehound, White Reaper, and Diane Coffee have silenced those who think (incorrectly) that there’s no good new music coming out these days, and now a Polyvinyl double-header makes its way to Great Scott in Allston this Friday night (November 3) to show you what should be on your current playlists.
The show features indie supergroup Mister Heavenly and Detroit singer/songwriter Anna Burch, and since both have excellent news songs making the recent rounds, we’re stacking the deck for perhaps out first ever New Sounds two-fer.
For those scoring at home, Mister Heavenly consists of Man Man’s Honus Honus (Ryan Kattner), Nicholas Thorburn of Islands and The Unicorns, and Joe Plummer of Cold War Kids (not to mention Modest Mouse and The Shins). Mister Heavenly like to describe their sound as “doom wop,” and we’re only mad because we didn’t think of it first. Peep their latest video for “Makin’ Excuses”, and try to not let that intro make you think of “Africa” by Toto.
“We’re always trying to write the perfect little nugget,” says Kattner says, “that will endure even into the dystopian future that looks more and more likely every day.”
This may be it. And if not, there’s the rest of last month’s Boxing the Moonlight LP to step up.
On the flip side, Burch represents a very new look for Polyvinyl.
The former Frontier Ruckus harmony vocalist released a split with Vanyaland fave Stef Chura last year, and was signed at the request of fellow Michigander and Polyvinyl artist Fred Thomas, who sent her demos to the label over the summer with a note that read: “This is not a drill. You need to hear this.”
Burch will release her debut full-length in early 2018, but a tantalizing tease has taken form in the shape of new single “2 Cool 2 Care,” which oozes with ’60s girl-group goodness while also making us nostalgia for the more recent heyday of groups like Broadcast and Black Box Recorder.
Peep it:
MISTER HEAVENLY + ANNA BURCH :: Friday, November 3 at Great Scott, 1222 Commonwealth Ave. in Allston, MA :: 10 p.m., 21-plus, $15 :: Advance tickets :: Bowery Boston event page
