TONITE: The Tintinnabulation Of The Bells

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Named after Edgar Allan Poe’s best poem not called “The Raven”, Bells Bells Bells are set to release A Ghost Could Live Here, a well-crafted follow-up ’07’s Throw Down Your Anchor, which brought them, if not quite riches and fame, then psych-folk darlings status. At least around my house, anyway. The album opens with the epic “Laika, An Astronaut”, which conjures the final thoughts of the doomed Russian astro-dog who braved space ‘50s, only to die in orbit. With its dreamy reverb and eerie organ chords, compliments of keyboard maven Kat Paffett, the song sounds like a cosmic funerary hymn for poor Laika. The band’s sound hinges on Amandah Romick haunting but gorgeous vocals and literary fixations and Paffett’s creepy organ swells, which bring to mind spooky cult classics like Carnival of Souls and those trippy ’60s Poe double features starring Vincent Price. Sometimes they sound like a menstruating Doors, or if Black Sabbath had vaginas, but mostly they sound like a latter-day indie reincarnation of Siouxsie Sioux and the Banshees circa Kaleidoscope. Which works out well, seeing as Siouxsie & The Banshees are, to quoth the raven, nevermore. –DIANCA POTTS

Bells, Bells, Bells play Sugatown’s 9th Anniversary Party tonight at Tritone with Frisky Or Trusty, Party Photographers and Maria T. Doors are at 9 p.m.

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