Tweefort Records

Next Saturday will be the first (and hopefully not the last) teaming of Tweefort with New Haven’s Safety Meeting Records. Come out to Rudy’s for cheap beer, great frites and three pop bands — La Strada, M.T. Bearington and The Fictional West.

Chances are you already know M.T. Bearington, and if not, you used to like one of their old bands. However, if that’s not the case, M.T. Bearington makes driving psych-pop music that’s sure to get under your skin and make a home in your head. The band is also getting ready to head out on a mini-tour with none other than Mates of State.

La Strada makes undeniably charming pop music that’s a little chamber pop, a little indie pop and a whole lotta fun. It’s rare to see strings and accordion on stage at Rudy’s, so don’t miss out.

The Fictional West have a single out now on Tweefort Records. They’re getting comparisons to Orange Juice, The Magnetic Fields and The Smiths. Limited by their non-fictional surroundings, these New Haven natives decided to combine their varied interests in indie pop, 80s new wave sounds and satirical themes into some nice low-key tunes. Go download the single if you haven’t yet.

Saturday, FEB. 6: La Strada, M.T. Bearington and The Fictional West
Live at Rudy’s, 372 Elm St, New Haven
$4, 21+ Music begins after 9 p.m.

Steven Deal has been playing music since he was 13 years old. Deal first had to sneak into clubs, but at age 18 he got a notarized note from his parents to play when his band, Bleached Black, got its first record deal with Relativity/Sony. Deal toured the USA and Canada several times as a support act for groups such as Dinosaur Jr., Das Damen, The Screaming Trees and The Neighborhoods, to name a few. Deal has worked with producers Lou Giordano (Husker Du, Volcano Suns, GooGoo Dolls, etc.) and Peter Katis (Interpol, Philistines, Jr., Babyheads, Zambonis, etc.) among many others. Deal has also played in bands such as Chopper, The Absolute Zeros and The Naomi Star and appeared in the New Haven punk/new wave documentary “It Happened But Nobody Noticed.”

After a 10+ year writing hiatus, singer-songwriter Steven Deal returns with the pop punk album he’s always wanted to record. Clocking in at under 40 minutes total running time, RADIO TWELVE is his first solo album ever. RADIO TWELVE contains 11 “hate” songs — beer and brandy-soaked pop anthems, stories of romantic misery, self-loathing and megalomania. With a little help from his friends Dan Kohler (Naomi Star), Lisa Hammer (Requiem In White, Mors Syphilitica, and of the TV series “The Venture Brothers”), Chris Cretella, and Dave Parmelee, Deal has offered a window to the world of disappointment, unfulfilled promise and resentment, all the while never losing a keen pop sensibility or lyrical prowess. Semi-autobiographical and very real, RADIO TWELVE is a concise damnation of the romantic condition.

Boy Genius is an indiepop band based out of Brooklyn, NY. They find inspiration in the pop and college rock anthems of the ’90s, including R.E.M., The Lemonheads and Miracle Legion. Boy Genius’ latest album, “Staggering,” is creating major buzz on indiepop blogs around the country.

Mold Monkies contain members of The Absolute Zeros, of which Steven Deal was a member. They play their own brand of powerpop and draw influence from and comparison to bands such as Guided By Voices, Blur, The Kinks and Husker Du.

Steven Deal will release his album, “Radio Twelve,” Friday, Jan. 8 at Cafe Nine, 200 State St., New Haven. Boy Genius and Mold Monkies will also play. Music starts at 10 p.m. This is a FREE show. 21+

We’ve just confirmed NYC pop band The Ballet to play at Cafe Nine in New Haven on February 19. They’ll headline the release show for Tweefort’s second compilation CD, which will be officially announced soon! For now, check out these sweet pop sounds.

ArtSpace Underground returns Saturday, Dec. 12 with two great bands and a huge fashion show. Get ready to be impressed.

ArtSpace Underground presents EXCENTRAGLAM — A fashion show with 15+ designers. DJ Peter Kuhn will spin. Live music from Swarm The Moon, plus the solo debut of Steven Deal. As always … it’s $5 to get in with drinks by 116 Crown. ArtSpace Underground is always all-ages.

Swarm the Moon, from New Haven, formed late in the summer of 2009 when Anthony Acock (drums,) Thom Smith (guitar) and Tim Leonard (vocals/guitar) got sick of reading each other’s desperate pleas on Facebook looking to start a band and decided to get together and do something about it. Matty Mauro later joined in on bass, and the band was complete. Each member brings a very different musical background to the band and the end result is a tasty blend of equal parts noise, pop and rock. They have already drawn comparisons ranging from early Promise Ring to Sonic Youth. This will be their last show before they record their debut EP in January of 2010. Expect to hear much more from them in the coming year.

Steven Deal (ex-Bleached Black, Chopper, and Absolute Zeros) has been playing since he was 13 years old. He dropped out of college to tour the USA and Canada several times as a support act for groups such as Dinosaur Jr., Das Damen, The Screaming Trees and The Neighborhoods, to name a few. Deal has worked with producers Lou Giordano (Husker Du, Volcano Suns, GooGoo Dolls, etc.) and Peter Katis (Interpol, Philistines, Jr., Babyheads, Zambonis, etc.) among many others. After a 10+ year writing hiatus, singer-songwriter Deal returns with the pop punk album he’s always wanted to record. clocking in at under 40 minutes total running time, RADIO TWELVE is his first solo album ever, 11 “hate” songs, beer and brandy-soaked pop anthems, stories of romantic misery, self-loathing and megalomania.

ArtSpace New Haven, 50 Orange St. (corner of Orange and Crown). Doors open at 7 p.m. $5. All-ages.