What About Sleigh Bells?

It seems a lot longer, but I guess it’s only been since October. At CMJ in NYC last year, there was evidently all manner of buzz re: this duo called Sleigh Bells. Consisting of this guy Derek Miller (ex-of hardcore band Poison the Well, currently now thrashing sometimes guitar sometimes drums) & lavishly tattooed schoolteacher Alexis Krauss (who sings), both sharing the stage with, I gather, an iPod and/or laptop or somesuch, loaded full of samples & tracks & all.

Anyway, Stereogum was all hot & bothered about Sleigh Bells at the time, I saw a little sidebar writeup in the New Yorker of all places, discussions ensued. There was, you know, hype. There were (& remain) four recorded Sleigh Bells tracks readily available on the internet, each offering a wee taste of the various directions this nascent band might head if it ever became a going concern. Post-initial buzz, the trajectory of responses followed the familiar bell curve: (1) Intrigue (2) Backlash (3) Apathy. It was lightning quick. But I thought their stuff showed some promise, & I was curious.

Meanwhile, is the other shoe still ever going perhaps to drop? It looks like they’re playing gigs still (including the opening slot on the Yeasayer tour), but no album out yet. From time to time, I wonder & wait re: Sleigh Bells. You can still hear the original four tracks on Myspace.