Before this Washington-based quartet changed their name to The Nightgowns, they went under The Elephants. It was an especially apt name for them at the time, especially since they were renowned more for circus tricks than music at the time. Although their musical potential was evident from the get-go, The Elephants’ first etchings of a reputation was derived from their unpredictably energetic behavior during live shows. Their music used to be an afterthought. Tracing back to the days where ordering tickets online was not an option, The Elephants’ influences were shown distinctively to be ones with a reputable stage presence. Maybe it was that artists recognized more of a struggle for fans to see them in the past, or perhaps it relates to new expectations surrounding an artist on a major label. The problem is, you rarely find bands anymore worth promoting through bootlegs. It is amazing how some groups in the ’70s and beyond could gain a following based on their live output alone. The swapping of cassettes provided a more arduous process than mix-tape e-mails, but also one that felt more genuine and personal. The result from this nearly extinct form of exposure was a bunch of bands that were able to hit the big time because of their natural stage presence and charisma, only to let their reputation carry them as they acquired the experience necessary to produce a gem that would allow listeners to remember them as both a studio and live band. Contrary to what most popular artists today exemplify, it is entirely possible to excel as both.

They may have not been able to produce their groundbreaking musical statement until 2009, but The Nightgowns are a throwback in the sense that their success is not coordinated by today’s methods. Personally, I was referred to them by Jordan Luckman of Mono in VCF, a band that I thought had one of the most memorable debuts recently. I rarely receive submissions via recommendation like this, and for an artist to receive one from another artist I respect catches my attention over the others for good reason. Word-of-mouth, particularly when its direct from musicians themselves, concerning quality artists is still abundant if you consider payola-incorporated radio “word-of-mouth”, but whether it is coming from the mouth of a music-loving individual (like me or you) or a corporation is a question that has recently emerged. Jordan told me that The Nightgowns were one of Mono in VCF’s favorite bands and that I would be a fool to miss out on them, even if it did come after the best albums of ’09. It turned out he was right. Sing Something, their first release under The Nightgowns name, is likely good enough to make that list. It is clear they have matured their songwriting abilities while maintaining the social exuberance that made them such a phenomenon during live performances when they were known as The Elephants.

Probably the biggest allure of The Nightgowns’ sound is how relevant it is. Relevance is admittedly subjective in any art form due to the sheer flux of a stylistic trend, unlike a subject area like politics or mathematics, but anyone who listens to either of the samples below should know what I mean. An immediate comparison would be that to the works of David Terry (better known as the brains behind Aqueduct). Although his status as an ’80s kid is solidified by unmistakeable melodic odes to the decade, Terry employs a richly infectious partnership of throwback pop and contemporary techniques to produce something that would be called radio-friendly both today and in 1980. “Heart Design” is a good example of this. The Nightgowns follow in similar suit. Their style is generally cohesive, though some tracks on Sing Something do have a bias in leaning toward either electro-pop or a modified variation of post-punk. “Narwhal Aerobics” tends to gravitate toward the former, preparing the listener for whirring layers of synth and punchy bursts of bass that have a clumsy appeal to them, much in the vein of The Helio Sequence and Hilotrons. The production is not going to make your hat fall off, but the maturing songwriting and emphasis on infectiousness over stage presence has resulted in a possible breakthrough for a four-piece that deserves it.

A track like “Big Bang” is more familiar with its post-punk roots. The Nightgowns are not nearly dark or brooding enough to encompass influences like Echo & the Bunnymen, so an effort like “Big Bang” resembles more contemporary post-punk in the vein of Interpol in its upbeat percussion, coherent production, and accentuated use of tremolo. Rhythm is a major component throughout Sing Something, which is not surprising consider electro-pop and post-punk are the two major stylistic influences at hand. In the case of “Big Bang”, think Interpol’s “Obstacle 1” mixed with the goofy-but-fun ’80s charades of Aqueduct; the result is both nostalgic and relevant, a combination that only allows when an artist truly grasps their sound and showcases it consistently. The Nightgowns instantaneously capture the sparkling electro-pop of the ’80s and the recent indie-rock/electronica infusion that seems to be the predominant factor for many successful artists these days, independent or not. Sing Something finds the perfect medium between fun electro-pop (“Narwhal Aerobics”), summery art-rock (“Buoy”), and somewhat darker post-punk (“Big Bang”) to juggle both cohesion and outright infectiousness, resulting in one of the more overlooked releases of 2009.

RIYL: Aqueduct, The Flaming Lips, Jesus H. Foxx, Interpol, Two Door Cinema Club, Savoir Adore, Bright Eyes, Ball of Flame Shoot Fire

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The Nightgowns – Narwhal Aerobics

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The Nightgowns – Big Bang

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The Nightgowns – Buoy

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The post The Nightgowns Take Off appeared first on Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog.

Thanks in part to the stimulating effect that the collaboration of audible and visual content in art can occasionally grant a viewer, many music fans (more often critics) have grown accustomed to classifying albums that somehow correlate to a certain season. Some people simply recall the season in which they got hooked into the respective album for the first time, but the more interesting of participants generate some sort of thought based on the actual melodic content and stylistic delivery involved. For instance, calling The Beach Boys’ Pet Sounds a “summer album” would provoke little to no argument. Any band who produces a similar form of surf-rock have often fallen into the same grouping too. Despite lyrical content that often depicts a much darker picture, similar bands who deliver such upbeat melodies in the realm of traditional surf-rock or power-pop occasionally seem to be practically begging for that “summery” label. With that in mind, I imagine that any group who puts out brooding post-punk like Interpol or barren electronica like The Knife is setting themselves up to be compared to a season that is visually seen to be less optimistic (“wintry”?), an attribute that is shunned away from in fear of sounding far too much like a criticism. I tend to shy away from such seasonal comparisons due to it being a sign of descriptive laziness for the majority of the time, but some bands just give off a vibe that is too appropriately seasonal to shun away from.

The Little Ones are surveyors of a style that holds little complication and even less intimidation. The five-piece have even admitted themselves that an accurate description for their sound would be “happy”, even if there are a number of other enjoyable variables involved. “The gist of it is we’re here to have fun,” guitarist Ian Moreno says, an admirably surefire critic of bands who are in it purely for the fame and loot involved. Alongside the recently featured likes of The Explorers Club, this ideology coincides rather nicely with the amiable nature of their brightly enthusiastic style. However, instead of tackling the likes of surf-rock, The Little Ones tread in waters that are more reminiscent of expected contemporary indie-pop. For this repetitively aforementioned “summery” feel, their percussive uses of hand claps and tambourines can attribute to it somewhat, though the defining factor lies in the melodies and methods of vocalization that the LA-based five-piece is able to convey. “The imagery and overall vibe is more of a summer album,” Reyes says, stating the enjoyably obvious. Their West Coast roots are most prevalent in Edward Nolan Reyes’ vocals, an enjoyable aspect that often shows traces of a commendable falsetto within glimpses of group harmonizing that appears reminiscent of ’60s pop music. In appropriate form, their noteworthy debut album, Morning Tide, will be released this summer. With a bountiful array of hooks and melodic additives, it is just one of those albums that sounds best when complemented by sunshine, a cool breeze, and the mere sight of a beach.

The formative process of The Little Ones involved a variety of past collaborators, current lovers, and childhood pals. Moreno and Reyes originally formed the first stages of The Little Ones after a band they had both participated in broke up, leading to an urge to form something new and greater. While searching for members, Ian happened to find out that his girlfriend’s brother was proficient at both the keyboards and bass. Avoiding any awkward moments due to their instantaneous music-based connection, Moreno convinced Lee LaDouceur to join him and Reyes. After that, however, the search for the next member lasted almost a year until Moreno received a call from a childhood friend, Greg Meyer, who was moving out to Los Angeles from San Diego. Already familiar with Meyer’s skills as a drummer, he was quickly recruited. Looking for another member to aid in LaDouceur’s efforts as both a keyboardist and bassist, Moreno brought in his brother Brian to play whatever instrument LaDouceur wasn’t during live shows. After David Esau replaced Meyer on drums, the five-piece was finally complete. The Little Ones’ first big break came in 2006 when solo artist Matt Costa scored the boys a gig at the Bowery Ballroom, giving those outside of the West Coast a chance to hear them live at a prominent venue for the first time. The Sing Song EP followed in February 2007 and the recent Terry Tales and Fallen Gates EP was released this past April. Drawing comparisons to other bright indie-pop bands in the vein of The Shins and The Delays from pleased critics, the slow but steady rise to recognition brought them into supporting Kaiser Chiefs and We Are Scientists on tour during the last several months of 2007.

Like many young bands who have been recognized as having heaps of potential, The Little Ones had to experience the obstacles of dealing with a major label in appliance to the release of their debut. Astralwerks released the Sing Song EP in 2007 but voided The Little Ones’ record contract in the beginning of this year. “”We already had an album in the can, and it was supposed to be released in April, then we were told that we had been released from our contract,” Reyes explained. “But the good thing is they were gracious enough to get the masters back.” The recovery of the masters means that Morning Tide should finally see a release this summer. I honestly have little clue as to why Astralwerks dropped them, but I imagine it will not be hard at all for The Little Ones to find another label. After all, one listen to the infectious “Ordinary Song” should have them lining up in masses. Apart from “Ordinary Song” being incredibly radio-friendly, it utilizes the group’s self-proclaimed Uncle Lee’s Rule of Feet, which states that a song is deemed appropriate for release “only if each of the Little Ones’ feet could shuffle” when listening to it. Thanks to the impeccable harmonizing, the eclectic arrangement of glistening keys and guitars, and the devastatingly memorable hook that the chorus conveys, my feet personally respond quite well to it. When Reyes sings, “I met you on the radio, radio,” during the fluttering chorus, I would be surprised if you did not have the same reaction. Though an official release date has yet to hit the horizon, Heavenly Records has recently swooped up this talented group to make the summer release date imminent for Morning Tide.

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The Little Ones – Ordinary Song

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The Little Ones – Boracay

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The Little Ones – Gregory’s Chant

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The post Watching The Little Ones appeared first on Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog.

Even though it is easy to blame limited diversification within a music scene on the specific demographic represented, there is no dismissing the eligibility of stylistic trends and their influence on the individuals who view conformity as merely a customary element of human nature. I find that, on a personal level, my local music scene lacks in quality because of the fact that people around here really have no other choice but to listen to mundane quality if they want to become exposed to their local scene; it is like a domino effect of what is considered “hip”. I hear of these local bands, generically repetitive in appearance and sound, who dismiss even the theoretical basics of melody altogether. It is a classic example of style over substance, where discordant screaming is substituted for melodic singing and an organized structure is obsolete. Sure, even if the screaming and tight jeans somehow represent unified teenage angst, I just can’t see the appeal or the reason for doing so. I suppose that those who find audible discordance to be emotionally representative will become an instant fan of such artists, but the sane others who actually recognize the hard work and dedication that goes into crafting a form of actual quality will quickly realize that locality leaves much to be desired.

One of the reasons that I relate to The Delfields‘ frustration with their local music scene is that I am currently residing about 30 minutes away from their deriving New Brunswick, New Jersey. I have come to known the Jersey suburbs to be a place of repetitiveness and simplicity, aspects that are unfortunately reflective of the hopeful bands residing there. Though the state has seen plenty of influential artists rise into stardom, I have found from first-hand experience that the state has become ridden with emo, screamo, and other genres with no appeal to me whatsoever. Unless one wants to trek into NYC, the lack of a substantial scene can be discouraging, even if such a statement is applicable for most rural settings. With this in mind, when I discover a band of The Delfields’ caliber who are based relatively close to me, I can’t help but feel excited. And let me tell you, before I am accused of posting a band sheerly out of geographical bias, take a listen to this appealing five-piece. With their studied blend of psychedelic rock, surf music, and indie-pop incorporating itself with the group’s melodic prowess, it should be highly evident that I would post this band even if they were from Mars (and enjoyably enough, sometimes they sound like they are).

Wearing their influences on their sleeves, The Delfields declare the genre of indie-pop in their native New Brunswick to be “nonexistent”, a statement that many music fans in the surrounding area (including myself) can wholeheartedly agree with. Consisting of singer/guitarist Joe, lead guitarist Allen Meretsky, keyboardist Michael Vassallo, bassist Ryan Shook, and (twin brother) Kyle Shook on drums, The Delfields seem confident enough to contradict the very definition of “quality music” in their local music circuit. I hope they do it too — maybe it would spread around the state. Though they remain without a label, their sound is reflective of the style that most independent labels seem eager to covet. I could play a guessing game and call them extremely suitable for the charming indie-pop of Sub Pop, but I will let their reps call the shots on that one. Their first means of exposure will be their debut full-length album, Ogres. Consisting of 9 tracks, it was at an all-analog 8-track tape studio in North Brunswick, NJ (Rubberball Productions) with the help of producer Terry Hughes and collaborator Brian Bond. It will be available to purchase on January 25th, both on The Delfields’ MySpace and at their upcoming shows.

Though songs in the vein of “Short Sleeves” and “Francine” explore more ambitious quality that is more demonstrative of overall stylistic eclecticism, there is no denying the admirable accessibility of Ogres‘ opening track, “A Slippery Slope”. I know that such a comparison may sound linear at best, but the vocals of Joe immediately reminded me of The Shins’ James Mercer. He employs a breezy with the simplistic strums of an electric guitar effortlessly churning out a sprightly melody that is accompanied by organ-like keys and spurred percussion. It sounds like a fusion of airy ’60s pop and contemporary indie-pop, with the result being as infectiously irresistible as expected. The self-titled track, “Ogres”, sees the same delivery in equally impressive form, though the wildly impressive chorus relies on a newly implemented collaboration between guitars and lighthearted keys to establish a sound more reminiscent of ’60s pop. Joe’s vocals throughout Ogres constantly reminds the listener of The Delfields’ rooted influences, with his personally being instrumental surf music. “The thick, textured sounds and vibrant melodies always drew me in,” he said. There is always a tinge of psychedelia and surf music in The Delfields’ enjoyable formula, with the heavy bass line in “Honest” and the reverbed twang in “Francine” being just a few of the agreeable examples on the impressive release. It should be accepted to expect plenty of brilliant melodies soaked in reverb on Ogres, though many will be pleased to know that such methods of “outdated” production only come to bolster the output, not weaken it. If these guys do not find themselves on a respectable label by the end of the year, I will be quite surprised.

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The Delfields – A Slippery Slope

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The Delfields – Ogres

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The Delfields – Honest

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MySpace

The post The Delfields Blend Together the Past and Present on Ogres appeared first on Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog.

Aqueduct is a solo act consisting of talented singer/songwriter David Terry. Yes, I was surprised as well when I learned that all of Aqueduct’s innovative yet accessible ideas were from the mind of one individual. The Oklahama native made his mark with his debut album, Power Ballads, which contained catchy favorites such as ‘Growing Up With GNR’ and ‘Assignment #1: Heart Design’. Terry’s mixture of Casio keyboards, synths, and throwback rhythms equates to his own personal talent and success, which is one of the reasons he scored a record deal with Barsuk. Power Ballads seemed to be a recollection of Terry’s high school days, which he often describes as a period of heartbreak and good music (I can relate). ‘Growing Up With GNR’ is a good example of this, as Terry launches into a somewhat sympathetic, “I was only twelve, dammit all to hell, I was feeling fine,” he implores, “hearing Axl Rose on the radio, remembering the good times with you”. Some songs bring back good memories and some bring back bad memories… but doesn’t it just suck when good songs bring back bad memories? Anyways, Barsuk was kind enough to supply me with Aqueduct’s brand new single, ‘As You Wish’, from their upcoming new album, Or Give Me Death, which releases on 2/20/07. This new one from Terry takes a different musical approach than many of his previous endeavors. While the lyrical content of lost love and desperation is still present, he utilizes brass and acoustic guitars instead of the emphasized keyboards and synth. The song also seems to be more in focus with his classic influences of 60s pop, such as the Beach Boys and the Beatles. It all works well though, which makes me look even more forward to Or Give Me Death.

Aqueduct – As You Wish

Aqueduct – Growing Up With GNR

Aqueduct – Assignment #1: Heart Design

Official Web Site

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Just like David Terry, the more prominent James Murphy is the solo frontman for his acclaimed project LCD Soundsystem. Though he has an impressive cast of musicians alongside him for live shows, Murphy is known to do most of his album work on his own. Their 2005 self-titled debut opened new boundaries for dance, electronic, and rock genres, as Murphy utilized all three styles to the full extent in one of the most impressive debut albums of this decade. It’s not surprising that LCD Soundsystem’s sophomore follow-up, Sound Of Silver, is one of the most anticipated releases of 2007 to legions of fans around the world. From New York to Tokyo, the handful of singles that LCD Soundsystem has released (‘Losing My Edge’, ‘Daft Punk Is Playing at My House’) have been very successful, almost defining the unique genre that Murphy has apparently overtaken, as he is also the co-founder of DFA Records. Their new track ‘Someone Great’ borrows a major instrumental section from the infamous Nike promotion of ’45:33′, an entirely instrumental song of the same length. This time around, Murphy adds some twisted vocals on top of matching keys to make the section even more engaging. I always considered the smooth and enjoyably creative LCD Soundsystem to be great driving music, so I can’t wait to pop this one into my car tomorrow morning.

LCD Soundsystem – Someone Great

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The post Two new songs from 2007: Aqueduct; LCD Soundsystem appeared first on Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog.