Sebastien Grainger was one-half of the destructible Canadian garage-thrash-dance band that was Death From Above 1979 (cue "Taps"). In other words, he's the dude that didn't go on to do MSTRKRFT. He did, and does, do the electro one-man-band, The Rhythm Method, but we'll touch on them another time. This time it's all about Mountains.

Stepping out on his own (with help from an elevated land mass or two), Grainger comes to a rock venue near you with a very different sound than you may expect from his past accomplishments. He's now almost, dare I say, a pop rocker? There are plenty of easy-to-sing choruses with nice guitar parts and a smattering of uplifting synths that sure sound like pop to me. Of course, it still rocks out, but it rocks in a more radio-ready way.

The band has been compared to everyone from Broken Social Scene to Metric to the Pixies. I don't think they sound like any of those bands.

Grainger's new album is coming out in November of 2008 on Saddle Creek (Conor's stuff, Tokyo Police Club, The Faint). Very accessible.

BUY TICKETS TO SEE SEBASTIEN GRAINGER AND THE MOUNTAINS AT UNION HALL!

BUY TICKETS TO SEE SEBASTIEN GRAINGER AND THE MOUNTAINS AT MERCURY LOUNGE!

Sebastien Grainger and the Mountains play Union Hall, on Tuesday, December 2nd, and Mercury Lounge, on Wednesday, December 3rd.