5 reasons why you need to see Mini Mansions live this month.

For what seems like a lifetime, Coup De Main have been conducting prayer circles in an attempt to bring Mini Mansions to New Zealand. Their latest album, 'The Great Pretenders', has been on endless repeat and we've found ourselves watching live videos of the band to compensate for their lack of local performances - but FINALLY our dreams are about to come true, with Mini Mansions announcing not one, but TWO NZ shows in November. The band will play Bodega in Wellington on November 4th and Cassette 9 in Auckland on November 5th.

"MINI MANSIONS are a literal force of nature. With player’s rap sheets including bass duties for Queens of The Stone Age, studio collaborations with Brian Wilson and Kimbra, Mini Mansions have produced perhaps the best punk/pop crossover record of 2015. Their new album The Great Pretenders, features both Alex Turner and Brian Wilson, perhaps the two most sought after co-signs in popular music. But who really cares about that stuff? This band are amazing recorded, unmissable live and will definitely be a show you can brag about in approximately 2.5 years when they are on the cover of ________ (insert your favourite magazine here). Punk is no stranger to the individuals who form Mini Mansions, but neither is melody. While they have all played in various DIY bands throughout their youth, they also share a clear affinity for The Zombies, Gorillaz, and Devo. These three members know how to be imaginative and unorthodox, while having a grasp on the levity in nihilism and love, and the fine line in between. Their new album, The Great Pretenders, has been released on T Bone Burnett’s Electromagnetic Recordings/Capitol Records. They are his first signing.

The Great Pretenders ambitiously reflects the depth, variety, and musical/compositional interplay between these three distinct individuals. It’s also probably the only record you’ll hear this year that features both Brian Wilson and Arctic Monkeys’ Alex Turner as guests – indeed, its entire song cycle teems with that kind of surprising discovery. The Great Pretenders actually represents Mini Mansions’ third release, following its 2010 self-titled debut album (put out on Josh Homme’s boutique indie imprint Rekords Rekords) and the group’s first self-released EP in 2009. Immediately, Mini Mansions starting playing shows with the likes of Them Crooked Vultures, The Kills, and Haim; the group quickly gained a passionate following for distinctly fantastical, colorfully melodic psychedelic-pop confections that expanded on their shared influences. “When we first got together, we agreed on things like late Beatles, Elliott Smith, early Big Star, and Electric Light Orchestra,” notes Parkford. “But after spending three years playing together, other tastes come out."

Due to our obvious excitement surrounding these shows, we've compiled a list of five reasons why you should go and check out Mini Mansions when they hit our shores this month…

1). One of Coup De Main's favourite things about Mini Mansions is their suit-game. Often, MICHAEL SHUMAN is seen sporting a dapper white suit, TYLER PARKFORD keeps it classy in black, and good ol' ZACH DAWES goes all out in a floral suit (which we happened to find on ASOS - score!). These suits were initially seen in music videos, but have quickly become an integral part of their on-stage presence - and if it's not a suit sorta day, the band don their matching Mini Mansions jackets. There's nothing better than a band who love to wear coordinated outfits. Check out their suits in their live performance of 'Death Is A Girl' for Jools Holland below…

2). While it's unlikely that Arctic Monkeys' frontman ALEX TURNER will make a special Auckland appearance to sing his verse in 'Vertigo', there's no denying the fact that Michael does an excellent job covering the vocal performance. To be fair, this song is just as incredible without Alex - just check out how captivating the following performance is…

3). It's pretty unanimous at the Coup De Main office that 'Heart Of Stone' is one of the best tracks we've heard all year. It featured on one of our CDM road trip playlists earlier this year for its undeniable sing-along value, plus it does a great job of tugging on heartstrings. What's even better is Mini Mansions' live performance of the song; Michael and Tyler have an amazing contrast of voices which make their live rendition emotionally chilling. And, of course, since it's a perfect sing-along track, the opportunity to sing it with the band themselves is an unmissable opportunity. Check out their live performance of 'Heart Of Stone' below…

4). There's no denying that Mini Mansions are incredibly creative. You'd be hard pressed to find one of their music videos that isn't visually stunning or interesting. From the mysterious (and NSFW) 'Vertigo' clip to the retro and psychedelic video for 'Cheap Leather', MM showcase an excellent array of unique videos which go far beyond the generic cookie-cutter-formula of a lot of popular music videos today. What's even more impressive is that Tyler directs quite a few of the band's videos, including their cover of Blondie's 'Heart Of Glass'…

5). Mini Mansions are seasoned musicians, so you know it's going to be a good show. They've got some incredible live performances under their belts (see above), plus collectively, the band have some pretty noteworthy ventures. Michael has been playing bass for QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE since 2007, while Tyler Parkford can add his side-project MISTER GOODNITE to his list of credentials. The entire band also lent a hand to KIMBRA for her song 'Carolina', which featured on her 2014 album, 'The Golden Echo'. In 2012, the band were the opening act for HAIM, and since then, they've played alongside bands like TAME IMPALA and ROYAL BLOOD. Mix all these factors together and you've got a bunch of dudes who know exactly how to entertain a crowd. Check out their live performance of 'Freakout!' as a testament to their talent…

MINI MANSIONS - 2015 NZ TOUR
Wednesday 4th November, Bodega, Wellington.
Thursday 5th November, Cassette 9, Auckland.
Click HERE to buy tickets.