In a purely traditional sense when we think of a rock band we tend to imagine a bunch of bearded guys, and (occasionally) the groupies that come with it. However the last decade has seen the expansion of a different kind of band, the girl/guy duo; sometimes lovers, sometimes friends, or sometimes something incomprehensible.
She Keeps Bees is from Brooklyn. Notwithstanding their name which could make them sound like yet another indie folk band, this duo/couple push in the exact opposite direction. She Keeps Bees is all about rock, blues rock more specifically; The sounds are deep, harsh and brutal…echoing the likes of The Kills or The White Stripes.
However, compared to those former bands, these guys seems more pure and raw, with less electric guitars, less nerve, and the prominence given to singer Jessica Larrabee‘s deep and enchanting voice lends their music a very intimate atmosphere.
For their second album ‘Nests‘, imagine Cat Power accompanied solely by a guitar and drums, and playing a living room in Alabama. This is what She Keeps Bees sounds like: a group of ( very talented ) close friends who enjoy what they do and need the minimum sound to create immersing rock.
Ever since I discovered them I have always had a particular affection for The Kills. Since 2003, the band always managed to release strong and inventive rock albums without ever crossing to the ‘mainstream’ as is done by oh so many bands ( a lesson to be learned Kings of Leon…) . Even if it is likely that guitarist Jamie Hince‘s relationship with Kate Moss has put some added spotlights on the duo they still maintain the same intimate and discreet band aesthetic that they had before fame came knocking.
Often compared to the White Stripes, largely because of their bluesy punk style and boy/girl dynamic, Jamie and Alison are definitely close to the talent Meg and Jack exhume. The Kills‘ previous albums have been critically acclaimed, with unforgettable tracks such as ‘U.R.A Fever‘, ‘Cheap and Cheerful‘ or ‘The Good Ones‘, and now they are back with a new album wholly meets expectations. Never have The Kills been so loud, so controlled, so good at embodying the meaning of a ‘tandem‘, and this album is majestic.
‘Blood Pressures‘ makes a striking entrance with the dramatic ‘Future Starts Slow‘, possibly my favourite song of the album along with ‘Satellite‘, and a perfect illustration of the power, anger and determination in Miss Alison Mosshart‘s voice. On ‘Satellite‘, their first single, Hince once again successfully proves that behind Kate Moss‘ future husband-to-be lies a talented guitarist who manages to make me shiver.
I was consequently surprised by ‘Wild Charms‘, a lovely ballad through which The Kills break up from their usual loud and bluesy sound. ‘Wild Charms‘ which is sang solely by Jamie Hince feels like a flower on a battlefield, a little moment of peace, which you know won’t last long, so you enjoy it as much as you can. It furthermore strangely reminds me of John Lennon‘s ‘Jealous Guy‘. However war ignites again with ‘DNA‘, and Mosshart definitely sounds like she is getting ready for blood.
All along the album, The Kills display an incredible ability to fuse both of their vocal ranges; his soft british accent and her strong sexy cry are like a guitar and its strings, inseparable and made for each other. The Kills are a perfect foil for eachother with the beautiful figure and charisma of Mosshart put forward on stage and Hince‘s discreet almost shy self hidden behind a guitar.
They complement each other perfectly and with subtlety, and the music world should be glad they found each other.
God this is good! Trying to sum this record up is almost as challenging as to listen to it without having to stop what you are doing, stare gleefully at the speakers & uncontrollably bob your head to the groove.
‘Omni‘ the bands first full length since 2007′s “Planet of Ice“, finds Minus the Bear in what feels & sounds like effortless full flight. It is this effortlessness, to this humble reviewers ears, that makes this album a marvel onto itself.
This album is detailed: Cascading soundscapes litter the “sometimes simple, sometimes progressive“ song structures. Every bleep, guitar chord or drum loop so carefully placed & with such precision you would think this was crafted by machine. Alas, it wasn’t, and thus like any art in the hands of master craftsmen is injected with as much soul as accuracy.
Trying to pin down the band’s sound as they march through the 10 cuts on offer here is a hard one. A vast array of influence come to mind when listening to the album in its entireity (as a side note, this album should be enjoyed as a total) but never do the band sound like they are struggling for a voice.
The locked but joyous chemistry between the drums and bass (Erin Tate & Cory Murchy respectively) provide such a solid platform that the rest of the band are allowed to inflect the Jimmy Eat World esque Indie rock with The Police inspired guitar lines & Daft Punk synth lines without tredding on the songs. There is even room for nods to early 70′s soul and aphex twin style broken beats creating something quite unique.
This is all stitched together magninificently by Joe Chiccarelli‘s (The White Stripes, My Morning Jacket) big yet airy production and Jake Sniders
understated yet hook riddled vocals.
Minus The Bear have managed to create something quite special with this record. Go. Listen!
Slow Club are long overdue a mention on these pages given that they havebeen a regular fixture at Cougar HQ since its release. The Sheffield band have been dubbed as the new White Stripes in some quarters but I find that comparison slightly lazy.
Yes they are boy/girl duo, Yes Rebecca Taylor plays the drums whilst Charles Watson rocks a guitar but…whilst the Detroit heroes have patented their garage rock sound, Slow Club operate in a different yet equally interesting territory.
Their debut ‘Yeah So’ introduces an intimate folk sound and a shade of 60′s optimism in a way not too dissimilar to The Magic Numbers and She & Him. Both in terms of vocals and deliver these are far more apt comparison in my mind.
The band head out on a tour of Japan early next month which should well received. Meanwhile with countless live shows scheduled closer to home I am keen to catch their next performance.
Cougar Microbes favourite LehtMoJoetook a break from his frequent bastardization of some of my favourite rock tracks, most notably Nirvana‘s ‘Territorial Pissing‘, to release his brilliant Spaghetti Western album.
Fortunately the sample bandito has not forgotten how to make a beautiful mess with his take on The White Stripes‘ ’Blue Orchid‘.
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In a purely traditional sense when we think of a rock band we tend to imagine a bunch of bearded guys, and (occasionally) the groupies that come with it. However the last decade has seen the expansion of a different kind of band, the girl/guy duo; sometimes lovers, sometimes friends, or sometimes something incomprehensible.
