I first heard White Hassle on the Grand Life compilation for the Soho Grand boutique hotel…because that’s how we roll in the 2-1-2. I wanted to share “Watertank” with y’all but the whole thing is not available for free online (head over to eMusic and pick it up for some well-spent pennies). In the meantime, here are three tracks that show off Marcellus Hall’s smartypants roots (he’s also a fantastic illustrator): part Cake’s John McRea and part the Magnetic Fields’ Stephin Merritt. “Resolution (Resolution)” will help you kick off your new year on a reflective note.
The Sweet Hurt
There’s an aspect to The Sweet Hurt’s bio that’s, well, sweetly endearing. After going through the ususal personnel problems that bands have, there emerged an opportunity to play a show that pushed Sweet Hurt founder Wendy Wang “to get the band back together.” So, when I was a kid, I loved The Blues Brothers, especially the car chase scenes, and while The Sweet Hurt sound nothing like Jake and Elwood, I appreciate Wendy’s effort.
The Colour
Groovalicious, danceable rock straight outta the OC. Following in the footsteps of The Killers, The Colour released an EP in the UK through the Lizard King label, and are heading to Nashville early in the new year to start work on their album. I expect you’ll be hearing and seeing plenty from these lads in ’06. You’d have to be colourblind (ouch!) not to notice.
The Spectacular Fantastic
Sean accused me of being a squatter the other day in his Tessitura post, and he’s not wrong. Silly me, I just forgot about these folksy, rocking, old-fashioned easy-to-sing-along-with tracks from The Spectacular Fantastic. With a name as superlative as that one, you’d think it’d be hard to do — anyway, it won’t happen again. Start with “60 Cycles” and “I Love You,” (both from a fully-downloadable EP on the band’s website), then check out “Winter Song” and “You” (from a split single with the previously-mentione Tessitura). Then, in gratitude for all the free music, shell out a few bucks for The Spectacular Fantastic Goes Underground and start singing along yourself.
Forget Cassettes
A swirling, blistering wind blows from down Nashville way… Forget Cassettes toy with a precarious (and ultimately intoxicating) mix of combustible garage rock and precise math rock. As a band, they’re tighter than Jon’s mom’s wig. But what stands out most are Beth Cameron’s agile vocals. Much like the great Polly Harvey — and understand I’m not trying to make a direct comparison here — Cameron’s got character and dynamics to spare. Whether she’s at a whisper or a caterwaul, she’ll suck you in like a tractor beam. Oops, there I go mixing metaphors again. Just listen and figure it out for yourself, okay?
Early Man
Those of you already familiar with Early Man, “two Pentacostalists from Columbus,†might find it strange to hear them called “quaint.†But that’s what comes to my mind when when listening to the monster, and unapologetically analog, riffs blaring out of these digital speakers. The song names could have come from Black Sabbath, Judas Priest, or early Metallica records, and so could the angry guitar and manic drums. The whole thing takes me back to those Halcyon days when my skater friend got me off the Depeche Mode with an interventionist helping of Ride the Lightning. In fact, Early Man are so earnest about their music that listening to them really is infectious, even if they’re telling me to die a slow, horrible death.
The Adored
Guilty Pleasure Admission #38: I’ve got a thing for mod-influenced British post-punk with a hint of glam, a la These Animal Men, a British band who were so good (“Too Sussed” was just awesome) until they went full-on glam. California’s The Adored carry on this fine tradition, even enlisting Pete Shelley (yes, that one!) of the Buzzcocks for guest vocals on “TV Riot.” The Adored do owe a great debt of gratitude to the Buzzcocks and the other late ’70s British bands who blazed this trail before. Remember, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Guilty Pleasure Admission #39: the Bodyrockers. Any more quilty pleasures anyone cares to share?
Jets Overhead
And now some of Canada’s — actually, I’ll go out on a limb and say America’s (North, Central, and South included) — finest arena rock. With influences ranging from The Mamas and the Papas to Pink Floyd, Jets Overhead’s majestic sound gets me in the mood to grab a lighter, seat cushion, and cash to burn and cuddle up in my nearest sports stadium for a full-on rock show. Trouble is, only a minute number of today’s record and concert ticket buying public are muscially adventurous enough to put Jets Overhead in that position.
Nic Armstrong & the Thieves
If you’re wondering where all the mods have gone, Nic Armstrong has your answer. Since winning a songwriting contest in his native England a couple years back, Armstrong has launched a little British Invasion by way of Austin. And that’s not just a fancy classification: Armstrong and his Thieves have circumvented a few decades of Brit-Pop and cock rock and gone straight for the birth of the mod. The result is a roadhouse rhythm and beat in line with the earliest offerings from the Rolling Stones, the Who, the Beatles and, most of all, the Kinks, which in turn was a British working class take on American R&B and Boogie Woogie. Throw in a little country and western and you have something that is reverently old but shakes it as good as new.
Rogue Wave
Really, this whole music thing is pretty simple. Some people who like to play music get together, make music they like, other people who like music buy it, usually if they like it. Rogue Wave, they’re four guys who like to play music, they keep it simple, and that simple music produces some catchy, melodic, and thoughtful songs. “10:1” brings to mind Radio Dept‘s “Liebling” and Viva L’American Death Ray Music’s “SAGGSA” (the first song here).