Mining some of the same musical influences as Danish duo The Raveonettes and fellow New Yorkers Crystal Stilts, Vivian Girls are part of a growing wave of contemporary bands who take inspiration from 60s girl groups, Nuggets-era garage rock and the swirling feedback of the pioneers of 80s noise rock and shoe-gaze.

Formed in 2007, Vivian Girls took their name from recurring characters in the works of outsider artist Henry Darger and, in the great punk tradition, added colorful individual monikers: Cassie Ramone (guitar, vocals), Kickball Katy (bass, vocals) and Ali (drums, vocals and recently replaced by the more conventionally named Fiona Campbell).

In 2008, the group began issuing singles on several tiny indies and released their self-titled debut LP (to great acclaim) that same year on the hip garage label In the Red Records. They started racking up support gigs for the likes of Sonic Youth and Jay Reatard in New York and quickly hit the road.

Stateside caught Vivian Girls shortly after the release of the first record on a stacked bill with Crystal Stilts, The Smith Westerns and Miss Alex White and the Red Orchestra. At this point, the girls were pretty raw but the three-part harmonies somehow managed to rise above the din and signal something pretty special.

Last year's sophomore effort, "Everything Goes Wrong", drew mixed reviews, but the band continues to land impressive gigs with their contemporaries and influencers: Vivian Girls will perform at the Jim Jarmush-curated All Tomorrow's Parties Festival in New York alongside Iggy and the Stooges, Mudhoney and Sonic Youth in early September.

www.myspace.com/viviangirlsnyc