South-side Latino postpunk and darkwave trio Imperfections have released a handful of compelling singles in the past few years. The eerie, yearning “Tu Cuerpo” goes deep into the Cure’s dark romantic forest, while “Jenny” could fill up a goth-club dance floor with its throbbing bass line and sweeping synth. Imperfections’ latest single, “Cursed Reflections,” which came out at the end of May, rages in a mannerly way against the dying of the light. They’re certainly a band worth catching early in their career—preferably in your best bat gear. I’ll definitely be keeping on eye on whatever they do next.
Joining Imperfections at this Burlington show are Poem Rocket, a veteran New York postpunk outfit inspired by beat poetry and avant-garde rock. Formed in 1992, they haven’t put out a new record since the 2007 double album Invasions, but they’ve recently unearthed the long-lost EP Lend-Lease, which they made in 1999 but didn’t release at the time. Despite its vintage, it sounds fresh and immediate—as though you’ve cracked open a time capsule full of fierce winged creatures furious to have been awakened from their deep hibernation. In just 26 minutes, Lend-Lease cements itself in your soul, scratching an itch you might not have realized you had. The spooky sea chantey “Black Freighter Contraband” has a simmering folk-blues tone that threatens to boil over in a spacey buildup. “A.R.P. (Air Raid Protection)” resonates with the hardships and cruelties of the current U.S. political moment; its chiming, abrasive guitars and grinding bass remind us that we’ve only ever had the illusion of safety, not the actual thing. And if you want to spend some time with the band’s wild and heady philosophies about ways of seeing, consciousness, transcendence through art, and reckoning with political realities, check out the 24-page manifesto in the vinyl edition of the EP. Vocalist and guitarist Michael Peters (one of two core members from the beginning, with bassist and vocalist Sandra Gardner) has provided a rousing and trippy read. Also on the bill are dark psych duo Reaper on Red and edgy dream-pop group Snowcuffs.
Imperfections, Poem Rocket Imperfections headline; Poem Rocket, Reaper on Red, and Snowcuffs open. Thu 8/7, 8 PM, Burlington Bar, 3425 W. Fullerton, $11.33, 21+
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