My sister-in-law’s family live in one of those farm suburbs outside of Philadelphia. Whenever we visit them we need to drive to a larger suburb called King of Prussia for our “big city” amenities (i.e., first-run movies or non-Wal-Mart shopping). The running joke is, “Come on kids, we’re off to see the King of Prussia!” You can imagine their disappointment when they learn there is no castle, no king — only a mall just like the one they have back home. I mention all this to contrast with the band King of Prussia (from Athens, GA, ironically), recommended by 3hive reader James A.. Unlike the aforementioned mall, King of Prussia live up to the promise of their name with lush, romantic, and, yes, regal pop. In fact, the only disappointment you’ll experience is figuring out how to get your hands on their debut CD, Save the Scene. (Hey KofP, shed some light if you’re reading this.)
Evan Duby
If you’ll afford me a moment of cheerful codgerism: There was a time when you got a self-recorded release and you could tell. The guitar was flat and muffled. The vocals sounded like they were filtered through cellophane. There was no such thing as “layering†– you could barely get in what you needed on the four tracks you had to work with. There’s still plenty of room for such DIY ethics. But thank goodness for ever-improving technology too, because now songwriters like Evan Duby can create tracks that are appropriately multidimensional. The strings on “Words†bathe Duby’s soft vocals in warmth. “Separate Ways†and “Pale†surround themselves in the subtle ambience of an old-style organ, so that they’re acoustic with a little something extra. And his cover of Springsteen’s “State Trooper†has a sublime sonic kick. Of course, the best equipment in the world can’t hide something that was never meant to sound good. Fortunately, Evan Duby has nothing to hide.
Zune: Sharing the Sharing
Sonic Youth @ OCMA
Mobius Band: MP3, Video & Tour
Mason Proper
Greg and Tom Z. both pitched suggestions for Mason Proper, so it seemed, um, appropriate to check the band out. (Sorry.) In that Nick Hornby sort of way, they had me at the album title — “There is a Moth in Your Chest.” From Ypsilanti, MI via Up North, Mason Proper sounds unlike any of the other megabytes tripping lately through my almost-dead iPod. (It keeps cycling through the songs without actually playing most of them. Occasionally I’ll get half a song or so.) Crazy pop? Art rock slapstick? Just categorizing these tunes seemed like a waste of time. Expect obscure lyrics, sweeping melodies, noise, dream-pop buzz, and the kitchen sink, too. After hearing My Brightest Diamond and Mason Proper, I’m wondering what else Ypsi has to offer.
The Bishops
Yes, yes, I admit it. I’m a sucker for mod and mod-ish bands, bands who take that great foundation built by the Who and the Kinks and many others, and then add their own modern interpretation. Bands like the Bishops, who are from of all places (wait for it) London. The Bishops have tight harmonies and sharp licks, no doubt due to the twin brothers Matt and Pete who are responsible for said harmonies and licks. And since the poor drummer probably feels overshadowed by the twins, who probably hog the spotlight and the front of the stage, I’d just like to add that the drummer is Chris McConville, everyone’s new favorite Scottish drummer.
Casper & The Cookies
This CD’s been staring me in the face for months. Staring up at me from the bottom of a towering stack of albums on my desk at home. Exactly why it took me so long to listen to it remains a mystery (I’m scared of alliteration? I became accustomed to it acting as a foundation to the mess that is my desk?). I mean I like cookies, especially since my friend Jennifer gave me this exquisite recipe for oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, and I couldn’t resist another day. So it’s time to share the sharing as Casper and Co. have been very generous with a scrumptious batch of songs. The best way to describe Casper & The Cookies is kitchen sink pop because they’re all over the place. They seemingly worship a great variety of pop idols. Wonderful moments of The Beach Boys (“Summer Spider” ), Big Star (“Sid from Central Park” ), XTC (“Little Lamb”), Violent Femmes (“Oh!”) and The Damned (“Take It Away, Kathy”) all manifest themselves in the songs. And in “Kroetenwanderung” the band literally turns to the kitchen for its instruments, snapping green beans and slamming cupboards to create an organic loop that provides the rhythm. Casper & The Cookies, like their name suggests, are playful, yummy and delightfully irresistible.
Monster Movie
Don’t let the name fool you. Monster Movie plays music antonymic to its moniker. Now I won’t spend too much time comparing Monster Movie to their guitarist’s old band, Slowdive, but wow it’s as if someone awoke Slowdive from an extended slumber. But see, they’re still drowsy from their nap. In a sort of been-there-done-that move Monster Movie dropped the wall of guitars from an eleven to a five or six. Fear not shoegazers, you still get a liberal dose of dreamy, lush, blissed-out pop, along with the occasional dance-floor number like “Driving Through the Red Lights.”
The Folk Yous
Some cats, like Sean and Clay, were just born with good taste in music. Me? I took the long way, which included a phase of schlock rock—most of it consumed on 8-track. Now some of you youngsters won’t remember the delight of plugging an 8-track cassette into the player and listening to the sweet sounds of REO Speedwagon and Journey. Which means you also won’t remember how songs would fade out midway through the bridge, allowing the cassette to jump tracks with a clumsy “ka-chunk” sound, then the song would fade back in as if nothing had happened. It sounds as though Athens, GA’s Julie Dyles and Courtnie Wolfgang do remember those good ol’ days. Or they’ve at least developed a fondness for the power ballads of that era. Their covers of Asia, Jouney, and REO classics are earnest and well-honed, if a bit difficult to sing along to without falling back on old habits…