When you think about Staten Island, Old Dirty Bastard and Method Man probably come to mind. But now, the forgotten borough is giving you another reason to pay attention—and this time it’s not hip-hop. Surprisingly, it’s indie music. Yes, straight out of Staten Island, Cymbals Eat Guitars is heading to Alex’s Bar. Two years after their debut album Why There Are Mountains seduced critics at Pitchfork and The New York Times, Cymbals Eat Guitars is touring and promoting their new second album, Lenses Alien. The new tracks paint sonic landscapes filled with clean guitar breaks and vocal melancholy mixed with sudden bursts of emotion, chaotic instrumental collisions, and cacophonous guitar riffs that echo the Velvet Underground. Their sound taps into the zeitgeist of bands like Arcade Fire while paying tribute to the Wrens. Plus, singer/songwriter Joseph D’Agostino looks a bit like Michael Cera.
Thu., Oct. 6, 9 p.m., 2011