Handsome Furs announce debut Oz tour

by Marcus on Jun 18 2009, 11:00AM

One of our favourite bands, Handsome Furs - featuring Dan Boeckner of Canadian indie heroes Wolf Parade - are coming to Australia in August.

We never quite got round to reviewing Handsome Furs wonderful second album of early 2009, Face Control. (Hell we still might.) The problem with getting attached to some albums is that you never want to pause to analyse them. (Hello Animal Collective). Though if we were to ruminate on the countless hours Face Control spent in the headphones, we'd say that the record marks Boeckner's firm stepping out of the shadow of his more blogged about, wilfully obscure songwriting partner in Wolf Parade, Spencer Krug. (Krug of course helms his own WP side-project in Sunset Rubdown.) If Boeckner and partner Alexis Perry's first outing as Handsome Furs on their 2007 LP Plague Park was a cold, clinical detour from the more esoteric work of Wolf Parade, Face Control plays to Boeckner's strengths; ragged vocals, wiry guitar work, pulsing beats, all adding up to nocturnal, essential indie dance-rock.

Handsome Furs - and Wolf Parade for that matter - have never been to Australia. That's about to change with the announcement of a three date tour through Sydney, Melbourne and...Perth. Sorry Queenslanders! Though we haven't seen them, Melbourne ex-pat Ben Gook caught them for us in Berlin back in early February, saying then:

Handsome Furs are a passionate couple, high on something, a duo that can fill any stage. Here tonight ahead of their second album release Face Control, they’re giving the crowd a run-through of that record’s new sounds (less reverb, more direct). Or, rather, the crowd is giving them an indication of how far and wide the album has already leaked. New songs are greeted with whistles and cheers. Why have official release dates anymore? Just let thing out into the wild and let it roam.

The Furs - Alexei Perry (wife) and Dan Boeckner (husband and frontman of those other worldly Canadians Wolf Parade) - regularly brush up against their self-imposed limitations: vocals, a drum machine, a keyboard, a guitar, an amp and effects pedals. This is a simple palette to work with, but they manage to sketch out a few different shapes with it. Often, the sound is pared back to base elements. Kick. Snare. Clap. Kick. Snare. Clap. Vocals. Tambourine. In verses and intros, Perry and Boeckner stay out of each other’s way, letting the clamour of their union raise the roof on some anthemic choruses and crescendos.

We can't wait.

HANDSOME FURS - DEBUT AUSTRALIAN TOUR 2009

Thursday 27th - The Corner Hotel, MELBOURNE VIC
Saturday 28th - Oxford Art Factory SYDNEY NSW
Sunday 30th - Amplifier, PERTH WA

Tickets on sale Friday June 19th