Voicst is a decade ahead of themselves. Pop music takes about twenty years to recycle its sounds. Punk came back around in the mid-nineties and new wave’s back today with a vengeance. Voicst’s Mid-’90s-Alternative-Radio-Power-Pop sound was cycling through a second generation comeback ten years ago with bands like Presidents of the United States of America, The Posies, and Sparklehorse (from whom Voicst keenly, and wisely, lifts key riffs for “Whatever”). Can Voicst stick it out long enough for power-pop’s scheduled resurrection, or do they have the chops to usher in the third coming right now?
The Coral Sea
The Los Angeles area has recently spawned a new breed of rock bands defined by androgynous vocals, haunting guitar work, and fragile melodies which often crash into walls of sound. Autolux and the Silversun Pickups are among the stand outs. If you’re a fan, welcome to your next favorite band, Santa Barbara-based The Coral Sea. And here’s why I like 3hive: I can shut up now and let the band prove my point.
History Invades
What’s the difference between History Invades and any other post-punk band with that frenetic, angular sound you either love or hate? THE COMPUMAN. Who dat, you ask? Not so much a “who” as a “what” or a monolithic “it.” If there is a recurring theme to the song titles, lyrics, and moods found on History Invades’ The Structure of a Precise Fashion it’s THE COMPUMAN: the band’s embodiment of the pervasive hand of multinational corporations, monopolies, and omnimedia…real upbeat kinda stuff. So, while Bloc Party use their tense rhythms and wiry guitar licks as a stark backdrop to warm, human emotions, History Invades use similar techniques to sound a warning cry — which comes out as cheeky yet ominous refrains like, “Make room for computer know-how…” Have a nice weekend.
Hopewell
Jason Russo was in Mercury Rev around the time that the be-yoo-tee-ful Deserter’s Songs was released to much joy. It shows all over “Safe As Milk,” a euphoric guitar hymn that could be called “indie gospel” (see also The Polyphonic Spree, The Flaming Lips, Spiritualized, and of course Mercury Rev). But that was five years ago and it’s telling that their latest, Hopewell & the Birds of Appetite, is classified on iTunes as “rock” whereas The Curved Glass was “alternative.” With a self-contained riff that’s a close relative to Nirvana’s “Rape Me,” horns with a mind of their own, and drums bigger than the space between your earbuds, the euphoria finds an edge that’s more suited to Saturday night than Sunday morning.
Big Strides
The agressively jazzy feel of Soul Coughing? The vocal dexterity of Sublime? The funkiness of really old Chili Peppers? I’m not sure what I’m digging so much about the sound from the British trio Big Strides, or even if my fascination will last past the first snowfall here in Michigan. For now though, these boys have the bump I’m looking for. Check out “Strangely Inclined” to see if you are as the title suggests.
Pyramid
I’ve been sitting on this one for a while now. Note I say “sitting on,” not “sleeping on,” which is an important distinction because it means I’m more of a jerk than a slacker. Unlike many of the emails we receive in the ol’ suggestionbox(at)3hive.com, I actually downloaded these songs mere moments after Ryan recommended the Charlotte, NC-based octet. So here I’ve been, soaking in their smoldering, headphone-friendly country goodness lo these past couple months without even telling my closest friends about it. Please accept my apologies and let me make it up to you by providing you with a direct link to purchase their fine debut, The First American, as those Amazon and Insound links below probably won’t help much until they land a label or distribution deal.
The Deadly Snakes
Propers to Grant Lawrence for kicking off his latest CBC Radio 3 podcast with this sad, pretty gem from The Deadly Snakes. The format switch from honky tonkin’ garage to straight-up freeform is official with their latest, Porcella and I’m officially okay with it. On “Gore Veil” you’ll hear Donovan or Love or Neil Diamond, but what’ll stick in your head is that recorder (or is it flute?) melody line just begging for a Wes Anderson movie to call home.
The Hard Lessons
Bay City, Michigan, like other famous bay cities — San Francisco especially comes to mind — can be a rocking fun town, as I found out this weekend at my wife’s BC Central High Class of 1990 15-year reunion weekend. From the Bell Bar (and its lack of a ventilation system) to the tiki lounge-inspired bar where the reunion was held (I forget what it was called), the class of ’90 rejoiced in each other’s company, for the most part, and the spouses of some of the grads did the same (at our own tables, set apart from the natives). Rick and I talked a lot of music, particularly about our fondness for local acts — hence, The Hard Lessons. Recent winners of a ‘Best Band in Detroit’ contest, these guys and girl rip through tracks like “Milk and Sugar” with a nice big gas-guzzling D-town sound. Hope you like ’em, Rick, and nice meeting you.
xbxrx
xbxrx are, if I may quote the words of the American commander replying to a German demand for his surrender at Bastogne in WWII, simply “Nuts.” Think of Le Tigre, but rather than being quirky and political, xbxrx are just crazy. I mean that in the kindest, most complimentary way. And continuing the previous comparison, rather than having pop-punk-electronic leanings, xbxrx love the rock ‘n’ roll and let everyone know it.
Les Hommes Sauvages
Les Hommes Sauvages sing in German, English and French, so you polyglots out there can have fun with that aspect of this German band. You noir fans will likely enjoy the sound of these three tracks; no matter the language in which they’re sung, a cool, dark, moody vibe is ubiquitous (plus, they use vibes — a vibraphone, that is). And if you’re just a Europhile, you’ll dig this line straight off the band’s website: “Being European sons and daughters they named their album Playtime after the movie of the same title by the French director genius Jacques Tati.” Yeah, I, uh, made that same connection. Thanks to Dr. Neal for dropping this one into the suggestion box.