speed of dark

Here's my chance to catch you up with a couple of bands I've been listening to but neglected to post about until now. Both of these have been praised on many other blog sites, and for good reason: they both have notable releases this year.

I haven't prepared a mid-year Best of 2007 list, but that doesn't mean I haven't been thinking about it. These two are very good candidates for my list.

The Comas: Spells

Begun in music-rich Chapel Hill, N.C., nine years ago, the now Brooklyn-based Comas have sharpened a fuzzy garage band sound to a fine edge on their fourth album, Spells.

I started out listening to two songs, "Red Microphones," and "Come My Sunshine" and kept going back to eMusic for more tracks until I had the whole album. There wasn't a disappointment in any of the ten tracks.

"Come My Sunshine" steals a riff from Queens of the Stone Age's "Go With the Flow," but then continues in a direction more like Silversun Pickups, one of my favorites from 2006, (who have been compared with Smashing Pumpkins). Occasionally I hear a taste of Weezer in Andy Herod's and Nicole Gehweiler's lush vocal layers. "I Am a Spider" is a good example of that. All the tracks are upbeat rocking numbers except for the single balland, "After the Afterglow."

The Comas definitely have a 90's alternative sound, and there is nothing more guaranteed to get my interest than that. A band doesn't have to invent some oddball new definition of music for me to like them. I am amazed at how much can be done within the standard rock format, and I'm very happy with how the Comas work with it.

I can't pick a favorite song from the bunch, and that is why I suspect that Spells is going to wind up high on my end of year favorites. I highly recommend the album if you like these sample tunes. Don't neglect the older albums either.

From Spells (2007):
The Comas: Come My Sunshine
The Comas: Sarah T.

Website | MySpace | Label: Vagrant Records
Buy: iTunes, eMusic, Amazon.com

Summer Tour Schedule
Jul 17 2007 - 7th Street Entry w/Great Northern, Minneapolis, MN
Jul 18 2007 - Subterranean w/Great Northern, Chicago, IL
Jul 19 2007 - Blind Pig w/Great Northern, Ann Arbor, MI
Jul 20 2007 - Soundlab w/Great Northern, Buffalo, NY
Jul 21 2007 - Valentine's w/Great Northern, Albany, NY
Jul 23 2007 - Middle East Club Upstairs, Cambridge, MA
Jul 24 2007 - The Mercury Lounge, New York, NY
Jul 26 2007 - Black Cat (Backstage), Washington,DC
Jul 27 2007 - Alley Katz w/Great Northern, Richmond, VA
Jul 28 2007 - Local 506 w/Great Northern, Chapel Hill, NC
Jul 29 2007 - Village Tavern w/Great Northern, Mt. Pleasant, SC
Jul 30 2007 - The Earl w/Great Northern. Atlanta, GA
Jul 31 2007 - Bottletree w/Great Northern, Birmingham, AL
Aug 2 2007 - Emo's, Austin, TX
Aug 3 2007 - The Loft @ the Palladium, Dallas, TX
Aug 4 2007 - LIT w/Great Northern, Oklahoma City, OK
Aug 6 2007 - Hi-Dive w/Great Northern, Denver, CO
Aug 8 2007 - Modified Arts w/Great Northern, Pheonix, AZ
Aug 9 2007 - Belly Up Tavern w/Great Northern, Solana Beach, CA



Great Northern: Trading Twilight For Daylight



The band name is descriptive of the sound of the music, not their Los Angeles origins. That sound could not be termed "garage band." The delicious layered blend of male/female vocals belonging to original members Solon Bixler and Rachel Stolte is similar to the Comas, but Great Northern is smooth in the places that the Comas have an edge.

It took a little while to grow on me, but I eventually picked up all the tracks on Trading Twilight For Daylight and began listening to it as a whole rather than one song at a time. That is where it really starts to shine.

Don't think those smooth qualities mean syrupy--not at all. There is a solid rock foundation underneath those stringy synths. Although some songs are slower-paced and a bit solemn, the effect when they are played in album-order is like riding a wave of gentle swells ("Our Bleeding Hearts," "Just a Dream") and rushing currents ("Telling Lies," "Into the Sun"). "Low Is a Height" has a percussion riff that reminds me instantly of both NIN's "Closer," Khoiba's "Pathetic," and a heart monitor.

The irresistible "The Middle" alternates those swells and heart-pumpers in a single song, then the album ends with the soothing "Babies." iTunes buyers get a bonus tune, "Winter," a two-minute music-box waltz.

Even if this were not a debut album, it would be impressive. Again, I really can't pick a favorite. Make sure this one doesn't pass you by.

From Trading Twilight For Daylight (2007):
Great Northern: Telling Lies
Great Northern: The Middle

Stream Trading Twilight For Daylight

Website | MySpace | Label: Eenie Meenie Records
Buy at Great Northern's website, MySpace, and iTunes, Amazon.com

Great Northern are on tour with the Comas--see schedule above.