Thursday, March 03, 2005
you get suspicious when i bring my friends from the carnival over
thebrotheregg "Mercury Retrograde"
Formerly on Nick Salomon’s Woronzow Records, Portland, Oregon’s thebrotheregg shares the historical perspective of Salomon’s Bevis Frond without sounding much like them. The tasteful, slightly off-kilter folk-pop on their new album, Aortica Mor, exhibits flashes of Love, Nick Drake, Van Morrison, and the Incredible String Band. It still retains its own identity, though, largely due to Adam Goldman’s somewhat awkward vocals, and an overarching sense of rainy-day idleness. “Mercury Retrograde”, with its wistful melody and strings, and that pretty, boy/girl/boy break-down, is one thoroughly satisfying indie-pop chestnut. The album itself is long as hell, but enjoyable in the main.
Thunderbirds Are Now! "198090 (Aquatic Cupid's)"
Thunderbirds Are Now! sounds perhaps a bit too much like their corporate sugardaddies Les Savy Fav. Their second record, Justamustache, comes out on the Fav's Frenchkiss Records later this Spring, and is indicative of a young band finding their way. They're proficient at emulating their influences, but
have yet to transcend them. But through such emulation they still find some noteworthy rock hits. The jerky "198090 (Aquatic Cupid's)" might be the most Favtastic tune on here, but it's also probably the best. This passel of skewed new wave bustle and grade-school math could easily fit on Inches or Go Forth, and would probably raise that last one's batting average several points or so. And though constant comparisons to their bosses might rankle the Thunderbird braintrust, the fact remains that they are entirely justified, and even required. This is like Merge circa '99 signing some band that sounded like a near-perfect recreation of No Pocky for Kitty. The simulation is too lifelike to deny.
thebrotheregg "Mercury Retrograde"
Formerly on Nick Salomon’s Woronzow Records, Portland, Oregon’s thebrotheregg shares the historical perspective of Salomon’s Bevis Frond without sounding much like them. The tasteful, slightly off-kilter folk-pop on their new album, Aortica Mor, exhibits flashes of Love, Nick Drake, Van Morrison, and the Incredible String Band. It still retains its own identity, though, largely due to Adam Goldman’s somewhat awkward vocals, and an overarching sense of rainy-day idleness. “Mercury Retrograde”, with its wistful melody and strings, and that pretty, boy/girl/boy break-down, is one thoroughly satisfying indie-pop chestnut. The album itself is long as hell, but enjoyable in the main.
Thunderbirds Are Now! "198090 (Aquatic Cupid's)"
Thunderbirds Are Now! sounds perhaps a bit too much like their corporate sugardaddies Les Savy Fav. Their second record, Justamustache, comes out on the Fav's Frenchkiss Records later this Spring, and is indicative of a young band finding their way. They're proficient at emulating their influences, but
have yet to transcend them. But through such emulation they still find some noteworthy rock hits. The jerky "198090 (Aquatic Cupid's)" might be the most Favtastic tune on here, but it's also probably the best. This passel of skewed new wave bustle and grade-school math could easily fit on Inches or Go Forth, and would probably raise that last one's batting average several points or so. And though constant comparisons to their bosses might rankle the Thunderbird braintrust, the fact remains that they are entirely justified, and even required. This is like Merge circa '99 signing some band that sounded like a near-perfect recreation of No Pocky for Kitty. The simulation is too lifelike to deny.
