The Alice Rose

The eight p.m. slot at nearly any SXSW showcase is often a thankless lot to have drawn, as many festival attendees are still finishing up dinner (or sleeping off that afternoon's hangover). But when Austin's The Alice Rose plugged in for its early set last month, the band demonstrated to a small but appreciative hometown crowd exactly why NPR found its 2006 album, Phonographic Memory, worthy of glowing praise. In concert, lead vocalist JoDee Purkeypile croons like a young Elvis Costello (albeit without the snarl or chip on his shoulder), while whimsical piano melodies add blissful psych-pop touches to the band's tunes. And while early Costello albums are an influence, better touchstones for the Alice Rose's lush power-pop are the Shins, the Beach Boys and especially the beloved cult act Jellyfish. Team Tomato and Pavement-esque rockers Perry Went Home open.