Music Preview: Dean & Britta and Keren Ann Bring Cool To The Cactus

Dean and Britta have that certain je ne sais quoi, do they not? They're good looking, look and dress like Europeans, and dig artists like Joy Division and Nancy Sinatra. Hell, they even did The Squid and The Whale's soundtrack for Noah Baumbach. Their music is similarly themed: it's minimalist, beautiful, effortless, and full of an icy cool. (If one wishes to puncture the image, it's amusing to know that Britta Phillips was the voice of 80's cartoon icons Jem and the Holograms.) Dean Wareham, of course, has legions of fans from his work with Galaxie 500 and Luna, and this certainly isn't a huge departure from his signature sound. Expect dreamy and reflective tales with some irony and beautiful melody lines sprinkled throughout. The duo are touring behind 2007's Back Numbers, which combines some D&B originals with like-minded covers of The Troggs and Lee Hazlewood. Simply put, if you enjoyed Luna, you'll have a good time here. And for Wareham's more ardent fans, he has recently written a memoir about his life in music titled Black Postcards which will be published in March by Penguin. D&B arrive tomorrow at the Cactus Cafe for a pair of shows at 7 and 10pm.

Opening both of Saturday's shows is Keren Ann, the New York-based, French-raised singer/songwriter. Keren Ann's gentle material should appeal to fans of Feist's softer numbers and is a strong opening act given the thumbnail-sized venue. Her French numbers should also mesh well with Dean and Britta's Serge Gainsbourg covers. So dress in black, order a glass of red wine, and stop in. You'll feel glamorous and beautifully sad.

[Dean & Britta - "Words You Used To Say" video]