Minimum Rock and Roll

Chain & the Gang is led by Svenonius, the prime mover behind the bands Nation of Ulysses and The Make-Up, and author of two books, Psychic Soviet and Supernatural Strategies for Making a Rock ‘n’ Roll Group, not to mention online talk show host and auteur filmmaker. The band deals in a new genre called CRIME ROCK that updates rock ‘n’ roll, blues, and gospel music or vocal quartets from the late 50s /early 60s for the discerning few. As Ian himself puts it: “If asked about it by a prospective fan, I would say ‘Watch out; it might hurt your feelings.’ Or ‘Be careful…there’s no telling what might happen if you put it in your ear.'” Why? Because Chain & The Gang isn’t for everyone. It’s not designed for the victims of Ikea who rely on robots to choose their background muzak, but it can also prove to be addictive and has some disturbing side effects.

The Lentils are former Happy Jawbone mastermind Luke Csehak’s new project. Bizarre and quirky pop with hooks from this Brattleboro Vermont-based group.

In Boston’s smoky basements and smaller rock clubs, Fat Creeps have played tirelessly over the past year, surfacing as one of the city’s best new bands, with their dark, grungy riffs and distant harmonies. Their self-titled, self-released debut EP — released last month — teeters between the moodier, Mazzy Star-inspired end of the dreamy garage-pop spectrum, and snappier, deadpan grrrl-punk moments. It’s one of the most promising debuts I’ve heard recently.