RECOMMENDED
Oslo, Norway’s Serena-Maneesh finds a balance between its influences, mostly Sonic Youth and My Bloody Valentine, without sounding derivative of either. On its self-titled debut, the band injects rock ‘n’ roll riffs, driving bass lines and an ethereal, dreamlike haze of male-female vocal harmonizing—the experience is off-putting at first, but then relaxes into a pop chaos that’s as comforting as a broken-in pillow. The band has already toured with the like of The Dandy Warhols and Oasis, so from here it’s only fair to expect them to grow taller—the diversity of the songs shows a dedication to never sounding the same, and with the talent this band seems to have, that can lead to a long and fruitful career. When Serena-Maneesh gets more rocky and experimental, like on “Beehiver II,” that’s when the beautiful confusion sets in, only to have everything come into the clear minutes later with songs like “Her Name is Suicide” and “Sapphire Eyes.” It’s an impressive debut and a show that shouldn’t be missed. (Tom Lynch)
Serena-Maneesh plays September 15 at Logan Square Auditorium, 2539 North Kedzie, (773)509-5019, at 8:30pm. $13-$15.
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