My friend Aram suggested the Deadstring Brothers for 3hive, and I think I know why. You see, Aram knows the oeuvre of Bob Dylan the way the rest of us know our birthday or the alphabet. I think, in the roots rock of the Deadstring Brothers, he hears a little tribute to Bob, or at least a recognition of the work of Bob’s son Jakob and his band, The Wallflowers. On the other hand, maybe he just thinks they’re a decent band. Either way, enjoy that pedal steel guitar slide in “27 Hours,” and thanks, Aram!
Richard Swift
Richard Swift has gone to great lengths to make his music sound seventy years old. Whether hacking a Victrola into an iMac, or fudging the fuzziness of decades into his recordings, Swift distresses his songs with just enough texture to make you doublecheck the copyright date. None of these lo-fi antics however overshadow the songwriting skills of this post-modern troubadour.
The Insomniacs
Many years ago Sean introduced me to The Three O’Clock, a mod-influenced power pop trio who were strong in the music but displayed a common shortcoming of mod bands: the lyrics were just stupid. “Jet Fighter Man/that’s what I am/cause tanks go too slow.” That’s actually my favorite song by them, but I mean, come on. The Insomniacs are another mod-influenced power pop trio who I turn to when I miss one of my favorite all-time bands, the early ’90s British mod-influenced power pop trio Five Thirty. (I recently had the priviledge of introducing Sean to Five Thirty, a little quid pro quo.) The Insomniacs have almost got it all: bass-shaking snarling (in the mod sense of the word) guitars, tight Small Faces harmonies, enough hooks to knock out Pete Townshend, and a singer whose voice makes him a dead ringer for the singer of Five Thirty. Let’s just not discuss the lyrics.
Bibio
A funny thing happened while listening to Bibio’s exquisite, organic guitar arrangement: I accidentally opened it up in two browser windows and let both downloads play simultaneously…and it was beautiful. Rather than a clash more disconcerting than a skipping CD, the lilting loops — and here’s where I’m going to say something I try to never say about sound — danced with each other in perfect harmony. The great thing is that playing the track just one at a time is an equally calming, inspiring, uh, dance. If only there were more downloads to get us through the weekend.
A Girl Called Eddy
I first heard A Girl Called Eddy when, several months ago, my wife randomly and luckily checked out her CD from our local public library. Seeing as it’s a public library and not a small, financially-strapped indie record shop totally devoted to offering the freshest new sounds around, I imagine many of you are already familiar with the smooth vocals and ’60s pop sensibilities of Erin (Eddy) Moran. Many of you know her solid songwriting skills, her stellar pop craftsmanship, her classic sadness. All I want to know is, why didn’t anybody tell me sooner?
Low
Over seven albums, Low have collected praise and fans from all over the world. Their sound has grown and expanded, from the gentle stillness of I Could Live in Hope to the strong melodies and warm harmonies of Things We Lost in the Fire, and from the pure genius of their cover of Joy Division’s “Transmission” to proving they can make some noise with best of ’em on “Monkey” from their Subpop debut, The Great Destroyer. Simply one of the best bands out there. Enjoy.
Note: Their wonderful ode to the Misfits that was previously featured on 3hive is no longer available from their revamped website. It’s time to start a letter writing campaign to get it back!
Let’s Go Sailing
Some bands blend well with their surroundings. The bright melodies emanating from Let’s Go Sailing make the perfect soundtrack to their perpetually sunny Los Angeles. Their laid-back, surf pop songs makes you want to say, “Sure! Let’s Go Sailing.”
Matt Pond PA
I feel weird not letting Clay post this one, as he’d be able to tell you exactly what plot point warranted Matt Pond PA’s “New Hampshire” in a recent episode of “The O.C.” All I can tell you is recent plot points in my chaotic life have warranted the tender, string-buoyed comfort of Matt Pond PA’s “Fairlee.” And “A List of Sound.” And “Closer.” Not every track here is as cheerful as the above. But your personal plot points may warrant just that, so who am I to deny you?
Sweet Billy Pilgrim
I discovered Sweet Billy Pilgrim from their remix work on David Sylvian‘s new remix album, The Only Daughter. Both artists share lush vocal treatments and an ethereal quality about their music. On tracks like “Ain’t No Jesus in Here” Sweet Billy Pilgrim go the pop route not unlike Grandaddy or Sparklehorse, and “God in the Details” sounds as if Nick Cave chilled out and toned it down a bit. Comparisons aside, Sweet Billy Pilgrim hold their own and are definitely newcomers to keep your eye on.
The Gossip
We all go through phases. Some are developmental, like my two year old’s tantrum/fit last night upon leaving the Taco Bell play-place. Some are musical, like me listening to almost nothing but The High Water Marks and 30 Amp Fuse the past two weeks. So to break me out of my phase, here’s The Gossip, a trio of ladies who relocated from Searcy, Arkansas, to Olympia, Washington, who I think are no more. If PJ Harvey fronted the Blues Explosion, the Gossip would still do gospel-shaking, blues-tinged rock ‘n’ roll better…Addendum: Thanks to a 3hive reader, it’s been confirmed that The Gossip have played a show as recently as a few months ago, so hopefully they’re still around.