This is where I’ll be tonight, the lack of list love notwithstanding.

Eclectic friend Jason introduced me to Menomena a few months back, by saying that their newest album, Friend and Foe, was “just perfect.” While I don’t agree with Jason on everything music-related, I do so wholeheartedly in this case.

Another friend asked me to describe them earlier this week. Wincing at the use of the word, I said “eclectic,” to which he replied, “When I hear that, I think of Architecture in Helsinki.” My response? “Yeah, like that, but a little more…digestible.” And that’s really the best that I can come up with to describe this band. Their songs are full of stops, starts, and stutters, abrupt rhythm changes, and multitudes of unusual instruments. All of which made for an excellent album, and a great live show, I suspect. In fact, check out two recent show reviews here and here. And Menomena’s Myspace page.

Opening band All Smiles consists of Jim Fairchild, who used to play guitar in Grandaddy. From the few songs I’ve listened to, it sounds like good solid indie rock with an alt-country twang to it. I’m pretty damn excited for this lineup, and you should be too.