After some pesky liquor license trouble, Chelsea's Café is jumping back into the local music scene in a big way by playing host to Montreal indie outfit Sunset Rubdown. The band may have started as front-man Spencer Krug's solo project while taking time off from Wolf Parade (who incidentally made a stop in Baton Rouge last summer) but the group has since blossomed into something much more. Krug returned to Baton Rouge in the fall of '08, playing at Spanish Moon with his "side-project," Sunset Rubdown. Once again, Krug and company will be stopping in Red Stick, this time at Chelsea's on Thursday night.
The band's 2006 album, Shut Up I Am Dreaming, was Pitchfork's 15th ranked album of the year. Rubdown's 2007 effort, Random Spirit Lover, also garnered much acclaim from Pitchfork and was named to NPR's top albums of 2007. After a spring tour in Europe, Krug and crew have returned to the US to tour through the end of year and promote their 4th LP, Dragonslayer, which will be released June 23. Krug's warbly vocals and potent lyrics are reminiscent of a fellow Montreal front-man, Win Butler of Arcade Fire. Fans of Modest Mouse and Beirut should also enjoy the show.
Joining Sunset Rubdown are two groups also based out of Montreal. First to the stage will be Witchies, a self-described "melodramatic popular song" three piece. The next group up, Elfin Saddle, is an eclectic combination of a Japanese woman and Canadian man using an array of different instruments, from accordions to tin cans, to weave beautiful arrangements of experimental folk fused with traditional Japanese music.
I suppose it could just be coincidence, but there seems to be somewhat of a musical French connection being made between Canada and southern Louisiana, as more and more Canuck indie groups seem to make an annual stop in the region. Happenstance or not, laissez les bon temps roulez, and see you at Chelsea's Thursday night.
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