4Play

April 5, 2009

Miniature Tigers - Tell it to the Volcano - Epic/Modern Art

Miniature Tigers hail from Arizona, with an appropriately dry wit, a solid indie-rock approach, and a musical blend that combines snippets of of everything from Weezer to The Beach Boys. It’s not necessarily that this band does is something completely innovative or unique; it’s that they do what they do with an appealing familiarity and confidence. They also throw in a few quirky elements that making their songs stand out from the indie-rock pack, focusing their lyrics as much on adventure-book metaphors (guntoting/sword-wielding characters, dinosaurs) as on the typical relationship/lovelorn themes, all wrapped in catchy, simple melodies that suit the songs well.


White Lies - To Lose My Life - Geffen

Sounding like a spot-on melding of The Killers, OMD, and the pinnacle of Morrissey’s solo career, White Lies take those ’80s keyboards to a serious new level of dark P-O-P, but they do it with such little irony that it actually makes their songs sound new instead of some campy retro experience. White Lies’ music is all theirs, indeed, as big and as flashy as Mike “Flock of Seagulls” Score’s hair, but with a bit of doom and gloom thrown in for contrast. You might not notice all of the glumness of their lyrics on first listen (you’ll be distracted by all those day-glo disco beats), but before long, you’ll be pondering the meaning in songs like “Nothing to Give” and the title track itself.


Chairlift - Does You Inspire You? - Columbia/Kanine

Another day, another band getting exposure via an Apple commercial; but that’s not a bad thing, given that Apple seems to have a knack for picking tracks that are both quirky and memorable. Colorado band Chairlift are one of the latest well-deserved recipients of the Apple choice (for the iPod Nano ad.) Singer Caroline Polachek most often recalls the vocals of Kate Bush, but her vox also veer into the territory of a peppier Beth Orton; and the remainder of the understated but skillful band surrounds those vocals with folky, ’60s-inflected electronica, from the chilly chill-pop of “Something Around Here” to, yes, that Apple pick, the hooky and synth-laden skip-pop of “Bruises.”


Alaska in Winter - Holiday - Milan

Not a band but a man (namely new Berlin resident Brandon Bethancourt), Alaska in Winter’s latest set was constructed while Bethancourt was on tour, quite a feat during that busy schedule. Also the beneficiary of television exposure (his song “Your Red Dress” was heard on the TV serial Grey’s Anatomy), Alaska in Winter blends electronic sounds with Russian-inflected pop, Bela-Fleck-inspired bluegrass, and even a bit of folk, ranging in tempo from chill to more uptempo, with the faster tunes being reminiscent of German club tracks. Highlights include the Simple Minds-lite of “Speed Boat to Heaven,” and the low buzz of the “Close Your Eyes Remix.”