Talladega Night

Years spent on the Indie Rock scene should be measured in dog years: if a band manages to maintain its original line up for an entire trip around the sun, it should count as seven. Toronto’s Talladega has featured many members over the years, but the original core-duo of Stewart Whitehead (ex-Grace Babies) and Sean Bettam (ex-Chicklet) guides its flight path with endurance. Tonight, with new members Mark Buffone and Dave Cyr, they launch their sophomoric release, Up from Beneath (Fading Ways U.K.).

A spin of the new disc conjures up swirls of Galaxie 500, bull-frog bass lines recalling The Cure circa Pictures of You, and ethereal, fairy tale backing harmonies. If this CD release notice was an Amazon "recommendation," it might say: customers who purchased The Mercury Rev, New Order, or The Verve, ordered this.

Help Talladega celebrate tonight (March 31) with Kelly Goodlad, The Salarymen, and Galore at Ciao Edie (489 College Street, 9 p.m.).

Poster (detail) designed and silkscreened by Jeremy Wilson of Popfuel.