Early Listen: Animal or Not Animal?
Margot and the Nuclear So and So's release two albums.
No, Margot & the Nuclear So and So’s isn’t fronted by a woman named Margot. Frontman Richard Edwards likes to joke about the band’s name on occasion saying that the name comes from his daughter (which he doesn’t have), but the name is actually taken from the name of Gwyneth Paltrow’s character in The Royal Tenenbaums. Their music has been compared to The Shins and The Decemberists with a little Paul Simon thrown in, but it’s not that simple. Yes, there are similarities but Margot’s sound is pretty distinct.
Richard Edwards is a pretty big fan of The Royal Tenenbaums. Not only is his current band named for a character in the movie, his previous band was called Archer Avenue, which happens to be the street on which the Tenenbaum family lived. The band officially formed in 2004 when Andy Fry and Edwards joined forces. Throw in Emily and Tyler Watkins, who are not related in any way, along with Jesse Lee on cello and you have a group that makes some pretty awesome music.
Their first record, The Dust of Retreat, was originally released on Standard Recording Company then re-released on Artemis Records in March of 2006. The album gives each member a chance to shine, with solos on various tracks spotlighting different members. Critics applauded the album’s almost cinematic feel. The tracks play out as if they were miniature movies. The sound of the album ranges from a light acoustic affair to “chamber pop” to the occasional expedition into rock.
In what has become a pretty common occurrence, the release of the band’s second album was delayed multiple times due to disagreements between the band and their label, Epic Records. A unique solution was reached in this case, though. Two versions of the album are set to be released. Animal! is the band’s version of the album and will be released on vinyl and as an online download, while Not Animal is the version of the album that Epic wanted the band to release and will appear in vinyl, CD, and online download formats. The few tracks from Animal! that I’ve been able to find are pretty damn good. They have generally the same sound as the band’s other tracks, with a slightly more mature feel. It’s evident that they’ve grown as a band.
Overall Recommendation: Margot & the Nuclear So and So’s definitely have a very accessible sound that’s easy to fall in love with. Check it out.
Posted by Cory Roop on Oct 06, 2008 @ 7:00 am
