Pela

Brooklyn-based Pela play an enjoyable mix of early, anthemic U2 (before they got shitty) and The National. It's all fairly simple stuff, but the band pulls it off without sounding too epic and earnest (like U2 now). "The Trouble with River Cities" in particular has been stuck in my head for several weeks now. The band has a couple of EPs out now and is planning a full length next year.

Pela- The Trouble With River Cities from the Exit Columbia Street EP

Oh, and Pitchfork has an interview with Craig Finn of The Hold Steady Apparently the guy from The Killers is apeing Craig's style.

Pitchfork: Did you see the "Saturday Night Live" when the Killers were on, and some people have claimed Brandon Flowers was impersonating you?

Craig Finn: I did not until someone told me to go look it up on YouTube. I don't know what that guy looks like normally, but someone told me he doesn't wear glasses.

Pitchfork: No, he doesn't wear glasses. A year ago, he was totally doing the whole David Bowie dinner-jacket thing.

Craig Finn: I don't know. He discovered Springsteen or something, so a lot of press I've seen has combined reviews of our two records. So that's one thing. But if I had to guess whether that guy from the Killers knows who the Hold Steady are, my guess would be no. But a lot of people said that: "Hopefully, he wasn't making fun of you." That was the thing, like maybe he's trying to dis. But still, my guess is that he has no idea who we are or who I am. I think that if I was Brandon Flowers from the Killers, I would be concerned about a lot more things, mainly just being a rock star and buying things.

Youtube took down the video of the Killers' SNL performance, sadly. If anyone knows where to find a copy, post it in the comments. As much as I love Finn and The Hold Steady (and I do - some might go as far as calling it unhealthy), if anyone has a trademark on those glasses, it's Elvis Costello.
But Costello (nor the Killers, mind you) never renewed my faith in rock music like The Hold Steady have this year. If I come upon a large sum of money sometime soon, I'm taking a quarter off classes, buying whiskey by the box and following The Hold Steady around on tour, Grateful Dead style. Go and buy Boys And Girls In America.