Tonight: Miniature Tigers Open for Say Anything, Eisley, & Moneen (+ MP3s)

Mentioned this show briefly a few days ago, since we’ve got a review up of Moneen‘s first-ever DVD, but I figured I’d mention it again, ’cause it’s looking like a particularly good one.

Say Anything headlines at Warehouse Live, which is a little bit shrug-worthy for me; I really liked the band’s stellar full-length Is a Real Boy — that was some painfully sharp, anti-hipster invective, right there, cloaked in some beautiful pop melodies and sneering vocals — but what (admittedly little) I’ve heard since has only been okay. Your mileage may vary.

I’m less ambivalent on Eisley, thanks in part to friend/writer Marc Hirsh‘s prolonged evangelizing about this crew of Tyler-bred kids. Marc wasn’t wrong, I’ll give him that; the DuPrees know how to craft some freakishly gorgeous, baroque, elfin music, and so far I’m really enjoying Combinations (which Hirsh was kind enough to send my way).

Moneen, for their part, aren’t bad, an emo band that thankfully doesn’t only draw on Jimmy Eat World or Taking Back Sunday as an influence but stretches back a bit further to grab hold of some nicely off-time rhythms, Braid-style, but without the scratched-throat vocals. Sweet, pretty, guitar-heavy stuff, but a little prog-rock, which is no bad thing in my personal book; they’re kind of like No Knife (anybody remember them besides me?) minus the sci-fi imagery.

The one I’d really be psyched about seeing, though (um, were I actually leaving the casa this evening and not rocking the midget to sleep), is Miniature Tigers. These guys are honestly one of the best damn indie-pop bands I’ve heard in years, with smart, smart, smart songs that manage to be clever without being pretentious, and the stuff they come up with is catchy as hell. I’ve had “Cannibal Queen”, the kickoff track to their 2008 full-length, Tell It to the Volcano, stuck in my head for the last six months or so. And now, you will, too:

Miniature Tigers – “Cannibal Queen”

Miniature Tigers – “Tell It to the Volcano”

No locals tonight, sadly — am I totally off-base in thinking that the Wild Moccasins, Young Mammals, or even The Western Civilization or Piano Vines would’ve torn up the stage nicely? I’m thinking not. Damn shame…