Get Out Saturday: The Purrs @ Lo-Fi; New Album Nov. 6

It's been a couple years since the Purrs' post-psychedelic gem of a debut LP, The Dreams Our Stuff is Made Of, took KEXP by storm. The KEXP "bump" got them attention in indie circles nationally, landed some songs in a TV sitcom, and scored them a record deal with local indie Sarathan, who supported them in their first national tour.

But at the same time, Sarathan made the strange choice to not release new material by the Purrs, instead repackaging a shorter version of Dreams as a self-titled record. The lack of new material exhausted the buzz the band had generated, but hopefully that's about to change.

On November 6, their sophomore effort The Chemistry that Keeps us Together drops.

While we haven't heard the new record itself, the band's been playing the material in live shows for over a year. The stand out piece for our money is "She's Got Chemicals" (available streaming from their Myspace here). The song is rawer than the lush sounds of Dreams, and with a long, chanted climax, it's reminiscent of Pearl Jam epics like "Alive" or "Black." But whereas PJ relies on Mike McCready delivering a Zep-inspired solo, the Purrs rely on the same formula that made them great: a strong, steady bass-line with a powerful rhythm, while the guitarists apply layer over layer of effects, building a roaring sonicscape.

The new album promises an exploration of new artistic territory for the Purrs, and is a welcome release for fans who've been waiting for two years for new material. Catch them in concert this Saturday at the Studio 66 show at Lo-Fi.

Sat., Oct. 6 // Studio 66 @ Lo-Fi, 429 Eastlake Ave. E. // $7 // 21+ // doors @ 9