SXSW Overflow 2011: Day Five (Shark?, Standing Shadows, & MiniBoone)

Alright, so while I’m homebound, I figured it’d make at least a little sense to go ahead and get the lineup for tomorrow’s (Sunday, March 13th) Super Happy Fun Land SXSW Overflow Fest out of the way… Yet another light bill, with only three bands slated to play (and one of those I’m not entirely sure about):

SHARK?: Alright, so I’m not entirely sure if these Brooklyn boys are actually playing SHFL or not — they’re not listed on the SHFL site, but their Website says they’ll be there, so… I hope it’s the latter, really, because the band’s pretty damn good, crafting a sound that lives somewhere between The Pixies’ end-of-the-world snarl and Pavement’s laidback half-smile and hangs out with both on alternating days. The songs they write are ridiculously catchy, full of lots of rough-edged guitars, post-punk riffs, garage-y rhythms, and quirkily cheery vocals.

Check ’em out here (thanks to The Dumbing of America for the video):

Beyond the visual evidence and my say-so, I’m finding a crapload of press proclaiming these guys one of the best bands performing in NYC these days, and if that’s the case, it’s no mean feat. Shark? promises to be pretty badass — cross your fingers that they’re actually playing.

STANDING SHADOWS: Heavily New Wave/New Romantics-influenced electro-pop from the environs of L.A.; think older stuff from Placebo, a lower-key Muse, or maybe Primal Scream’s less-frantic moments, all cold, detached, yet soaring vocals, smooth-sliding guitar riffs, anthemic melodies, and seductive rhythms. I’m actually a little surprised I like this as much as I do, since it’s not really my sort of thing, generally, but hey, I’m enjoying it.

MINIBOONE: Another gang of New Yorkers — what, are hipsters just breeding like rabbits up in Williamsburg? — and again, one that’s pretty damn impressive. Snaky, just-distorted-enough guitar lines and nicely New Pornographers-like keys start up a fight club with insanely catchy, Hold Steady-epic melodies and desperate, party-til-death vocals that roll out like Wolf Parade if that band were forced back against the wall. These folks are smart as hell and don’t give a damn about restraint, just letting go like they really, truly don’t care.

There you go; looking at ’em all together, tonight’s actually probably the best-sounding night overall of the Fest so far — don’t miss out.