Chicago In Minneapolis: Scotland Yard Gospel Choir Tonight At The Triple Rock

Scotland Yard Gospel Choir

Download: The Scotland Yard Gospel Choir - "Aspidistra"
Download: The Scotland Yard Gospel Choir - "Pins And Needles"
Download: To Kill A Petty Bourgeoisie - "Lovers and Liars"
Download: To Kill A Petty Bourgeoisie - "I Box Twenty"

Monday night at the Triple Rock is going to be an fantastically fascinating juxtaposition of music, particularly if you're a fan of dry, witty blasts of poppy anglophilia or ethereal, creeping soundscapes with lovely, ghostly female vocals which are 7 minutes when the band wants to engage in brevity. It may seem odd that both Chicago-based Scotland Yard Gospel Choir, who earlier this year put out their great, but not entirely flawless, self-titled album on alt-country mecca label Bloodshot, and To Kill A Petty Bourgeoisie, whose sci-fi tale about two corporations falling in love, The Patron, is a triumph of mediative mind-melting, would occupy the same musical universe, let alone share a bill together.

You seriously could not have two completely different bands in one room. But, in some way, this could be the genius musical pairing of the year. Those who have the patience to take in TKAPB heavenly, no-wave-meets-Portishead noise will be able to have the Belle and Sebastion-esque twee-pop of Scotland Yard Gospel Choir (neither based in Scotland Yard, nor a gospel choir of any kind) should serve as the ideal musical palette cleanser. Those who want avant-garde adventurism and indie-rock comfort food will have the best of both worlds on stage for one night. That's the kind of music event any Patron could get behind.

Also playing is Patrick Tierney, whose music is self-described as "John Fogerty Singing Elliot Smith Songs". There's definitely a lot the latter's influence in the St.Paul-based folker's sound, but not so much the former. Which is a shame, because a little bad moon rising goes a long way, especially if you're trying to separate yourself from the singer-songwriter pack. What's interesting to not is that Tierney is playing the show on his birthday. Somebody bring Patrick a cake and a slice from Chuck E. Cheese. Listen to his songs on his MySpace.

Tickets for the 21+ show can be bought here. Doors open at 9.

Scotland Yard Gospel Choir MySpace Page
To Kill A Petty Bourgeoisie Myspace Page

(Jonathan Graef)

Scotland Yard Gospel Choir - Scotland Yard Gospel Choir

Scotland Yard Gospel Choir
Scotland Yard Gospel Choir (Bloodshot, 2007)
Grade: B+

Download: Scotland Yard Gospel Choir - "Aspidistra"
Download: Scotland Yard Gospel Choir - "I Never Though I Could Feel This"

If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, then the self-titled second album by Scotland Yard Gospel Choir, a chamber-folk-punk band based in Chicago that owe quite a big debt to groups like Bright Eyes and Belle and Sebastian, should be considered as the most complimentary album of the year. That may sound like backhanded praise, but all one has to do is listen to the ecstatically bright opening chords of “Aspidistra” to know that while Scotland Yard Gospel Choir may not be reinventing the indie-pop wheel, they’re doing their part to make sure that the world has plenty of highly melodious, intelligently written songs.

This self-titled record is their first album in four years, so it’s no surprise that Scotland Yard Gospel Choir, both the album and the band, decide to put their best foot forward. The first five songs off of Choir are spunky blasts of energy in the form of the most concise songs one could possibly hear. Furthermore, group leader Elia Einhorn writes savagely self-deprecating lyrics such as “If something went wrong/well, it was always my fault/and if something went right/then I was never involved”.

However, when Scotland Yard Gospel Choir tries to strive for the twee introspection, a la Belle and Sebastian, the record falters, mostly because songs like "Pins and Needles" do all to well of a job reminding the listener of their inspirations. After a little while, listening to the band begins to feel like listening to a copy of a copy, and we all know how well those turn out.

Fortunately, Scotland Yard Gospel Choir doesn't wear out its welcome, coming in at a brisk nine songs in 25 minutes. With their second album, Scotland Yard Gospel Choir show that they are quite capable of preaching to their own, so long as they do not revel too much in their inspirations. and stick to keen songwriting over melancholy wistfulness.

Scotland Yard Gospel Choir will be playing a 21+ show at the Triple Rock on Dec. 10th. Show starts at nine and tickets can be purchased here

(Jonathan Graef)