MP3 Weekender: Victoria, Tenement Ruth, Koufax

VICTORIA (MySpace)

Where: The Lot at the Schlafly Tap Room. More info here and here.
When: Saturday, August 23, starting at 4 p.m.
What: The trio's last show; it's breaking up after this gig. Aw.
Playing With: So Many Dynamos, LOGOS, the Monads, the Feed, Alvin Jett, Earthworms, Funky Butt Brass Band
Sounds Like: "Shades of Kings of Leon's Southern-rock swing (especially in Moore's howl) abound, matched by equal doses of Aerosmith and Led Zeppelin's rumbling blues-boogie, Pearl Jam's garage-thrash and even Jon Spencer Blues Explosion's sexed-up distortion. "Holy Roller" — a two-minute burst that comes at listeners like a raging fireball — is the clear standout, although the subtle groove of other tracks is just as seductive." (link) -- Annie Zaleski
MP3: Victoria, "Holy Roller"

TENEMENT RUTH (MySpace)

Where: Lucas School House
When: Saturday, August 23
Playing With: Blue Mountain (link)
Sounds Like: "Fans of twang will find plenty to love on Tenement Ruth­'s self-titled debut EP, even though the band's sound stands on the more ragged, freeform side of Americana. Melissa Anderson leads the four-piece with a voice that's reminiscent of a young Natalie Merchant — her voice is high and sweet, but packs enough venom to leave a mark. Her husband, Dave Anderson, plays electric and lap steel guitars and empties a bucketful of boiling, blistering leads that shimmer and bend across these six tracks." (link) -- Christian Schaeffer
MP3: Tenement Ruth, "Seasonal Depresson 2"

KOUFAX (MySpace)

Where: The Bluebird
When: Sunday, August 24
Playing With: Kinch, No Such Monster, Motiv
Sounds Like: "On Strugglers, the group trades its Cars-influenced synth leads for soulful saxophone solos, proving its obsession with a different kind of '80s pop — that kind that starts with "Huey Lewis" and ends with "and the News." (link) -- Ryan Wasoba

MP3: Koufax, "Any Moment Now"