andPOP's NXNE Recap

(andPOP) - Every year, Toronto's North by Northeast festival—three days in June packed with hundreds of bands spread out over dozens of small and mid-sized venues across town—proves a tricky balancing act. Big name international acts, the teenagers who practice in the basement around the corner and everyone in between compete for the attention of indie kids and (too many) industry types. We here at andPOP couldn't cover it all, but we've carefully sifted through an exhausting three days of venue hopping to bring you NXNE's best. Here's who made noise:

THE WET SECRETS (Thursday, Horseshoe Tavern, 10pm)
This Alberta export lays on the shtick like sweet crude—matching marching band outfits, a two-girl brass section that's also part '60s doo-wop duo, and a tidy pile of nonsensical novelty songs. But while so many "funny" bands fail to properly execute musical humour, simply stumbling into insipidity, the Wet Secrets prove they've got the talent to back up the wack. Stand-out tracks like "Grow Your Own Fucking Moustache, Asshole" and "It's Hard to Meet Somebody (Living as a Disembodied Head)" have hipster party anthem potential. Their second album, "Rock Fantasy," is
currently available from Six Shooter.

CLAIRE JENKINS AVEC BAND (Thursday, Savannah Room, 11pm)
Easily brushing off jetlag after a recent return from Australia, Claire Jenkins and the unfailing charm of her performance made for one of the more unique festival slots. Equal parts carnival side-show, gypsy jam and French-Canadian high school musical, Jenkins and her band (including accordion and upright bass) can be roughly described as "country cabaret" with theatrics—say, a nautical opening with Jenkins piloting an imaginary ship or a track that has her air boxing in big red gloves. A spot-on cover of Barbara's "Gare de Lyon" was a festival highlight. Their independently released album "Crow's Nest/ Nid de Pie" is available from CD Baby.

THESE NEW PURITANS (Thursday, Reverb, 1am)
Given the hype pouring out of the UK and the cred of headlining NME's showcase, the Reverb was oddly empty for the Canadian debut of These New Puritans. Could it be that the incessant hawking of "next big things" could be leaving us all a little immune to British hype? No matter—the band isn't completely undeserving. While their songs borrow heavily from The Fall and Public Image Ltd., this is one band with the attitude and confidence to credibly attempt a transatlantic leap. Their debut full-length, "Beat Pyramid," is out on Domino.

SEMI-PRECIOUS WEAPONS (Friday, Velvet Underground, 10pm)
Though it was a bit early in the evening for a heady dose of NYC glam-rock, word around the festival was that this set was not to be missed. Ego-laden and filled with debauchery (both from the stage and the crowd), Semi-Precious Weapons served this town a glittery bitch-slap. This is not something I'd ever want to listen to without the accompanying visual spectacle, but for the 45-minutes that front-man Justin Tranter preened around on stage, Semi-Precious Weapons came across as the hottest act on the planet. Their debut album, "We Love You," is set for independent release this summer.

WILL CURRIE AND THE COUNTRY FRENCH (Friday, Drake Underground, 12am)
Though fresh off a stint opening up for Sloan, Will Currie at al. look more like they just came off the battle of the bands circuit. The appearance, however, would betray their quality. Currie pieces together upbeat piano tracks that go down easy, reimagining Ben Folds with a little less bombast but way more sincerity. As for the Country French, they're a competent set of young backers that will surely benefit from a few more years in front of an audience. Though the group didn't fully connect this time around, they're among the most promising of the young talent at NXNE. "A Great Stage," their debut release, is currently out on Sloan's Murderecords.

COURTNEY WING (Saturday, Clinton's, 9pm)
Montreal's Courtney Wing is known for his expansive musicality, including enough instruments, techniques and vocal styles on his records to span several cultures and musical genres. With this arsenal, he creates folky, climactic pop that's often heavy on the string section. For his NXNE performance, Wing brought along a contingent of opera singers, lending even more drama and soulfulness to his orchestral material. If previews from his upcoming album are any indication, Wing may soon establish himself as something of a Canadian answer to Sufjan Stevens. "Bouquet of Might and Fury" is due out this fall from MapleMusic.

MONOTONIX (Saturday, Sneaky Dee's, 12am)
This gang of crazed Israelis played every night of the festival, culminating in a soon-to-be-legendary display of pure abandon at Sneaky Dee's. Lasting all of twenty minutes, the set lacked any of the usual concert accoutrements such as a stage, a separation of band and audience, and even discernable songs. Instead, the impossibly packed and sweat-soaked audience was treated to a mid-crowd instrument set-up; it didn't last long. The band (while playing!) spent their time touring the venue from above—surfing on the hands of enthralled watchers or dangling from the ceiling—or throwing about all manner of detritus and booze. Their current EP, "Body Language," is out on Drag City. But really, this is a band meant to be seen. They'll make a return stop at Sneaky Dee's in Toronto on July 7.