Velcro Stars CD release @ Caledonia, Grimey's, Grand Palace

Beginning this Saturday night (1/13) at the Caledonia Lounge in Athens, the Murfreesboro-based Velcro Stars will play a series of CD release events at some of Georgia and Tennessee's coolest little spots. Following the Athens show they will be visiting the wonderful Grimey's in Nashville (6pm in-store; 1/16) and The Boro in Murfreesboro (1/19). Supporting them in Athens will be Russian Spy Camera and Cars Can Be Blue, both of whom I posted tracks from last week. They'll be promoting their forthcoming album Hiroshima's Revenge, which I understand will be a joint release between Happy Happy Birthday To Me and Grand Palace Records.

I have turned a spotlight on Velcro Stars here before, but I'm happy to do it again. They're a quintet from Murfreesboro, Tennessee, and they've spent the last year or so building a growing and enthusiastic fanbase here in the southeast. When I saw them play in Athens about a month ago I understood why. Basically, they induce shit-eating grins of a magnitude well beyond hygenic levels.

They play an energetic brand of pop music that may well be impossible to ignore. Nashville media have compared them to The Features, Superchunk, and Pavement but I'd say if anything they build on these influences rather than mimic them. Keith Pratt appears to handle the majority of the vocal duties, although other members take the lead as well. Rebekah Kidd, the keyboardist and lone female member, provides a welcome diversity to both lead and harmony vocals.

To make a long story short, I imagine these guys are going to be among the Murfreesboro bands making big waves in 2007 (along with How I Became the Bomb and Ghostfinger). I'll add that selecting songs to share from this album was particularly difficult, as about 12 of the 15 struck me as worthy introductions to the band. On that note, here are a few tracks from Hiroshima's Revenge to check out:

Velcro Stars - Cascade
Velcro Stars - B-Side of Love
Velcro Stars - Pavilion

I don't believe Hiroshima's Revenge is available quite yet for online ordering, but I'll be sure to post an update once it is. I'll add that the screenprinted packaging is lovely as well. Hope to see some of you at the Athens release party!