The Brunettes @ Soundfix 10.19.07

The rumors about The Brunettes are true.

They are, in fact, brunette! Great, now that the debate on hair color is settled, the band played a short set at Soundfix last Friday and the music was thoroughly adorable, just like these Kiwis. The stage was too small to fit the band and their equipment, so singer Jonathan Bree had to stand on the floor. They brought hip back to the Village people when they sang and spelled B-A-B-Y on the track “Brunettes Against Bubblegum Youth”.

I planned to return to Soundfix for The Rosebuds yesterday, but never quite made it. I woke up and felt interminably lazy so it turned into a Weeds and No Reservations/A Cook’s Tour day in my pajamas. (If you haven’t seen the No Reservations Leftovers episode on youtube, it’s so funny—a must see for Anthony Bourdain fans).

Speaking of food, off to brunch….

The Brunettes- Brunettes Against Bubblegum Youth (B-A-B-Y)

(Buy Structure & Cosmetics)

Seasons, you are hair

Blondie and Blonde Redhead are perennial favorites. The young Debbie Harry and her shocking blonde coif bouncing to poppy tunes reminds me of summer. Kazo Makino's piercing echo set against the melancholy drums and guitars of the Pace brothers is the call of winter ushering spring. But what about autumn?

I'm all over this duo from New Zealand who rightly call themselves "The Brunettes." Heather Mansfield and Jonathan Bree are what autumn dreams are made of-- a flush of mellow guitar and piano melodies with catchy, sometimes sweetly haunting, and sometimes silly lyrics-- "I'm going loopy loopy over love... loopy loopy love," sounds like the work of Jack Black. Imagine raking up a yard of leaves, and then hurling yourself into the piles. Fun times! They kick off their North American tour in Vancouver on September 5th, and will be playing Mercury Lounge here in NYC on October 2nd to promote their latest album, Structure and Cosmetics.

So as you get ready to say farewell to another summer, throw on that sweater, contemplate darkening your tresses for fall, and give The Brunettes a listen.

(links expired)

Blondie- The Tide is High

(Buy Autoamerican)

The Brunettes- Loopy Loopy Love

(Buy Mars Loves Venus)

The Brunettes- Small Town Crew

(Buy Structure and Cosmetics)

Blonde Redhead- The Dress

(Buy 23)