Sleigh Bells

Yes! I saw for the second time the best new band, Sleigh Bells, last night at Le Poisson Rouge and I'm still smiling! The big buzz has not been overstated; the band is going to be huge, like their sound. The duo is made up of one-half delicious diva Alexis Krauss and the other half, former hardcore maestro (Poison the Well) Derek Miller -- as their bios will eventually confirm, they met one night when Derek waited on Alexis and her mom at the Brazilian restaurant he was working. I wish I could say I "discovered" this band -- two people, one booming guitar and an iPod -- but I can't. Though I have seen two of the only four live shows they have ever done, I first read about the Brooklyn based electro dance-pop band in The New Yorker -- they're Sasha Frere-Jones favorite current New York band. What I can say with the utmost confidence is that they are awesome. Words like "epic", "sonic", and "massive" don't seem to be descriptive enough. How about "epsonssive"? Ok, too cute but it's a bigger word than those puny ones and does seem to capture the heft of what's going on here. As for what Alexis is singing about, that seems almost besides the point. Her "ahh-ahh-ahhs" are the best part. You'll be so mesmerized by her "business of bouncing", and dazed by Derek's "caveman beats", that the lyrics will feel and sound right regardless of whether they're audible or logical. Sleigh Bells brings everything from The Ting Tings and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs to Run-DMZ and PJ Harvey, but they do it their way with their own curvy, glossy pop drama. And, don't let the distortion and sub-woofers throw you that's what we like. So lie back, or get up and clap and dance, whatever you do check this party out. http://www.myspace.com/sleighbellsmusic