LAST MINUTE PLANS: Papercuts At Schubas

By Michele Lenni in Arts & Entertainment on Mar 23, 2011 4:20PM

Now that we've officially taken the SXSW filter off of all of our news and social media sites, we're kind of relieved to be presented with a band that doesn't necessarily bang us in the head with a hammer, but gently soothes us with more of a textural whimper. Jason Quever, the leader of the San Francisco dream pop collective known as Papercuts, doesn't necessarily seem to wow you upon a first listen with his quiet, yet complex melodies. His modus operandi is more focused, engulfing this listener in a sea of fuzzed out guitars, whispered vocals and carefully etched out melodies that takes a couple listens for most music fans to appreciate.

Though Quever has been making recordings and putting them out for more than a decade, it's obvious that his recent efforts are aided by the recent revival of all things indie rock and '90s. Much like his Sub Pop label-mates Beach House and Low , Quever also prides himself on playing slow, lush and melodic tunes obviously inspired by two bands on the opposite sound spectrum in many ways: The Velvet Underground and pre-Gram Parsons era Byrds.

Their latest effort, The Fading Parade, is probably their most realized effort to date, with songs that traipse between a keen structural sensibility and a discernible appreciation for the minuet, layered details that create an aesthetic both rich in lyrical content and atmospheric qualities. Although Papercuts records have been known to make it to our turntable on more than one occasion on rainy days such as these, we think hearing them live in a small, intimate venue like Schubas is a must see.

Papercuts play tonight, March 23, at Schubas, 3159 N. Southport at 9 p.m. $12 at the door, 21+