Your Listening Pleasure
The Dodos, The Gutter Twins and De Novo Dahl for your ears.
The Dodos – Red and Purple - The Dodos are a San Francisco-based duo that will shatter everything you thought you knew about acoustic guitar-based music. Combining what has to be the most interesting live drumming I've heard in a long time (think tribal meets progressive metal) with syncopated, finger picked guitar melodies, subtle piano and xylophone flourishes, add guitarist Meric Long's carefully and almost somberly sung vocals, the overall effect is a lot like Sung Tongs-era Animal Collective, but with a more personal feel to the songs. For all of you bored to tears with "freak folk", this duo offers the subgenre a much-needed jolt of energy and creativity, while displaying some impressive songwriting chops.
Vister will be out on March 18th on Frenchkiss Records.
The Gutter Twins – Idle Hands - The Gutter Twins are an alternative rock power duo of sorts, featuring Greg Dulli (formerly of the Afghan Whigs) and Mark Lanegan (The Screaming Trees). Together they create dark, eerie songs, as evidenced by "Idle Hands". Starting with a guttural, Tibetan Monk-esque chant over a foreboding organ line, the song moves into the duo's morose vocals, backed by violin, steady drumming and a guitar riff that would make Judas Priest proud. It's almost like the Arcade Fire meets Queens of the Stone Age, except more unsettling.
Saturnalia will be out on March 4th on Sub Pop.
De Novo Dahl – Make Some Sense - This Nashville-based quintet creates well-honed keyboard-driven pop rock influenced by everyone from The Kinks to Hot Hot Heat. With its blend of male/female vocals, guitar, bass, drums and an omnichord, the band travels a fine line between garage rock, new wave and indie rock, especially in the tune "Make Some Sense," combining vocal melodies with a driving beat, catchy guitar and keyboard riffs and even a slight hint of the country sound that Nashville is known for. All in all, it's a solid pop song.
Move Every Muscle Make Every Sound is out now on Roadrunner Records.
STREAM: The Dodos – Red and Purple
STREAM: The Gutter Twins – Idle Hands
STREAM: De Novo Dahl – Make Some Sense
Posted by Jason Prechtel on Feb 29, 2008 @ 12:00 am