Striker Bill's New Notable Releases: Week of 7/21/09

New Notable Releases for the week of 7/21/09

• Aspects of Physics – Marginalized Information Forms 3: Other (Imputor? Records)
• Bad Veins – Bad Veins (Dangerbird)
• Blue Roses – Blue Roses (XL Recordings)
• The Fiery Furnaces – I’m Going Away (Thrill Jockey)
• Bill Frisell – Disfarmer (Nonesuch)
• Ian Hunter – Man Overboard (New West)
• Magnolia Electric Co. – Josephine (Secretly Canadian)
• Megafaun – Gather, Form & Fly (Hometapes)
• Our Lady Peace – Burn Burn (ILG/Warner)
• Portugal the Man – The Satanic Satanist (Approaching AIRballoons)
• Set Your Goals – This Will Be The Death of Us (Epitaph)

All of these are generally available in stores or online through such outlets as iTunes or Amazon as it would be, so be sure to check them out and help support all the bands and artists who continue to create interesting new music.

Yet more great stuff coming out in the near future, so be sure to check back next week and every week.

Quick Strike – The Silent Years

So yeah, we’ve talked about these guys a couple of times here at Striker Bill, and why not?  Their stellar new EP Let Go was released last Tuesday, and to help raise awareness to it you can download the song “Taking Drugs at the Amusement Park” for the unbeatable price of zero dollars.  Personally I would recommend downloading the song and then buying the EP, but as the old adage can be paraphrased, I can lead the horse to water, but I can’t make ’em drink.

To download the free offering from the Motown quintet, just follow the link below.

Free MP3: The Silent Years – Taking Drugs at the Amusement Park

Order Let Go here

The Silent Years Online

The Dead Weather – Horehound

In my opinion, the whole “supergroup” phenomenon has gotten a little bit passe in recent years.  It used to be that you would see one of this so-called groups appear every year or two, which would cause a big fuss in the music industry and amongst music fans for a period of time.  But more often than not, these collaborations would fizzle out and die before they ever had to chance to reach their full potential, littering used CD stores with the dried up fruits of an experiment gone astray.

But we’re not talking about just any supergroup this time, we’re talking about one featuring Jack White.  If there is anybody in rock music who can, in the minds of the media and listeners alike, do no wrong, it’s him.  Between the White Stripes and the Raconteurs he’s created a whole heap of buzz and sold a whole heap of plastic over the course of the past ten years.  He may also be the most overrated musician to come out of the last ten years as well, not due to any lack of talent but rather due to the almost crushing amount of praise that he has been rendered over the years.

So for his third major project he’s recruited an interesting coterie of players: the Kills Allison Mosshart on lead vocals, Queen of the Stone Age’s Dean Fertita on guitar, and Greenhorne and fellow Raconteur Jack Lawrence on bass.  Oh, and Jack White is on drums, which to some might seem like a shock and a big deal even though they were the first instrument that he ever learned to play.  So in some ways his moving behind the kit is more of a homecoming than a departure.  What is certain is that White is dictating the direction that this collaboration will follow as the Dead Weather’s sound compares with facets of the White Stripes and the Raconteurs.  White’s frenetic drumming style provides the backbone while Fertita and Lawrence mix druggy, sludgy guitar lines and slinky, synth pedal aided bass lines underneath the caterwauling of Mosshart.  While Jack White does mix in vocals of his own here and there, the focus is clearly on Mosshart in that department.  Stylisticly, Horehound follows the thick, bluesy rock n’ roll mold that White has been purveying for years, but travels down some darker sonic paths than his other bands ever have while also mixing in hints of country (“Will There Be Enough Water”) and reggae (“I Cut Like a Buffalo”).

The results of all these different pieces and stylistic nuances is mixed.  This is an album with some big, memorable highs and some middling, blase lows.  Ultimately, the best two songs on the album are the two singles, “Hang You From the Heavens” and “Treat Me Like Your Mother,” the latter of which is arguably the one true album standout with its shifting dynamics and bombastic song structure.  Others like “I Cut Like a Buffalo” and “Bone House” are solid, enjoyable tunes.  But by the same measure there are moments on this album where the energy and the life just aren’t there.  Opener “60 Feet Tall” is an overly long, boring bluesy affair that only begins to build up some steam once the 3 minute mark has been reached.  And the album’s one cover, Bob Dylan’s “New Pony” would probably have been best left uncovered in the long run.

In the end, there’s enough going on here to warrant the listener giving this set of songs a couple of spins, and that stands true if the Jack White involvement wasn’t enough to initially pique their interest.  As I said, the albums bright spots really do stand out as such and will sneak into your head for the rest of the day if you’re not careful.  If you can stand some of the albums less than stellar and less than promising moments, then there is a sonic reward in here somewhere for you.

War Tapes – The Continental Divide

They say that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. If thats the case this decade has been the wellspring of a whole lot of flattery in the arena of popular music. There was the arrival of the Hard-Fi and their heavy tips of the cap to Blur, the Johnny Cash-esque leanings of Brent Amaker & The Rodeo, and the significant Jimmy Eat World nods of a band called Number One Fan (who themselves are now models of Kings of Leon as The Wildbirds). Of course there have been many more than just those few, but they just happened to be the first three that came to mind.

And now we have War Tapes. The LA-based quartet are purveyors of big, ringing, shimmering guitars made famous by such bands as Editors, Longwave, Interpol, and even U2. I’m not kidding when I use the word big, and perhaps it doesn’t go far enough. I’m talking massively huge, arena filling, shimmering walls of guitars. There aren’t many other outfits that you’ll find today that have guitars quite as sizable and substantial as you’re going to hear on this set of songs. It’s the band’s calling card, and certainly not a bad one to have in your arsenal. Moreover, it’s absolutely essential in order to pull off the big melodies and the dark, 80s influenced post-punk song structures that are so prevalent over the course of these twelve songs. Instrumentally the group has got this game covered, as each individual part fits well with each other, from the churning bass of Becca Popkin and steady drumming of William Mohler. If there is a questionable link in here its some of the lead guitar decisions of Matt Bennett, which stylistically can be just a bit confusing. All these things come crashing together most effectively on songs such as “Dreaming of You” and “Use Me.”

All of these musical elements wouldn’t be as important without some appropriate lead vocals to cap them off. Singer Neil Popkin’s voice manages to soar (it’s obvious that he’s listened to just a little bit of Morrissey over the years) despite the fact that the subject matter that crosses his vocal chords is mostly dour in nature. You only need to look at the song titles to get a feel for the mood of this record: tracks like “She Lied,” “Mind Is Ugly,” and “Use Me” need no further explanations, but I’ll provide some anyway. “Rightfully Mine” opens with the line “I’m the one who’s struggling/In a world gone mad/I suffocate in the ocean air/Just to call this place my home,” while “Start Again” starts with the verse “Seven lies and I’ve had it with this game/I want to start again/and the world drapes it’s arms around my neck/I want to start again, start again.” Gloomy to be sure, and while it’s not the gloomiest I’ve come across during my years of music appreciation, these aren’t Tiny Tim lines either. Paired up with Popkin’s work are the vocals of his sister Becca, and whether or not it’s their sibling rivalry at play the duo work well together. Becca adds a bit of sweetness mixing in some backup vocals here and there while also providing While his vocals fit the the general timbre of these songs, there are times when he has a tendency to push the envelope and over sing things just a bit. The 2nd half of “Fast Lane” is a prime example of this.

So what we have here is an album full of big bombastic guitars and big, soaring choruses that all in all winds up being a solid effort. However, if the album does have one notable downside, it’s the fact that from start to finish the album winds up being very samey. Both the driving, uptempo numbers and the more laid back songs end up employing the same set of tools in order to craft their brand of rock, which in the end leads to very little variation over the course of this record. In turn, one song can run into the next and the unsaavy listener might not notice if he’s not careful. Still, the band is young and this is just their debut LP. I always play the part of the optimist and I believe that this can be improved upon for future releases. For now, the band has found a formula that works for them, so it’s hard to blame them for not wanting to tamper with it.

Striker Bill's Notable New Releases: Week of 7/14/09

The middle of July is upon us, and things are slowing down a little bit as the sunshine emerges from behind the rainclouds summer begins to sink into a nice leisurely pace.  That’s all fine and good with us here at Striker Bill as it allows us to get caught up a little bit as we get back on the trolley following the unveiling of our updated site design.  Still, there’s plenty of interesting records that are hitting shelves as we speak and that includes more than just the latest foray by White Stripes/Racounteurs frontman Jack White.  So you need fear not on that front.  Anyway, here’s what we’re highlighting for this week:

New Notable Releases for the week of 7/14/09

• Clutch – Strange Cousins from the West (Weathermaker Music)
• Dark Knights of Camelot – Hurrication EP (Olympic Records)
• The Dead Weather [Jack White’s latest foray] – Horehound (Third Man/Warner)
• The Jayhawks – Music from the North Country: The Jayhawks Anthology (American)
• Little Tybee – I Wonder Which House the Fish Will Live In (self-released)
• David Thomas Owen IV [Former guitarist for the band Lovedrug] – Solace My King (Esperanza Plantation)
• Project 86 – Picket Fence Cartel (Tooth & Nail)
• The Silent Years – Let Go [EP] (Sidecho

All of these are generally available in stores or online through such outlets as iTunes or Amazon as it would be, so be sure to check them out and help support all the bands and artists who continue to create interesting new music.

Yet more great stuff coming out in the near future, so be sure to check back next week and every week.

Striker Bill Upgrades

Hey gang! In case you haven’t noticed already, things are looking a little bit different around here these days. Myself and the ol’ site admin wanted to fill you in on all the changes that you see in front of you here at Striker Bill and give you a rundown of the new and notable features. We hope these changes will make the site more attractive, more usable, and easier to maintain and add features to over time. We’d love to hear what you think so comment. Feedback good and bad is welcome.

New overall:

• There is a new logo courtesy of Kasey Tararuj: check out her work at http://www.kaseytararuj.com/
• The site navigation is now on the right side of the pages.
• News/review categories are now listed below the logo.
• The Search box is noticeable and above the right-side navigation columns.
• Text resize buttons are near the top-right of each page. This will increase the size of the current article’s text.

New in the side navigation:

• We have a Countdown timer to the next Striker Bill radio show, with button to listen live online. You have no excuse now.
• Latest articles from the Jury have their own box, as do the latest reviews.
• Links spit into Striker Resources, Best of Striker Bill, and Links.
• Striker Resources is where you can find out about everything Striker Bill, including how to contact us.
• Best of Striker Bill will spotlight some of the best content on the site, updated as often as needed.

New in reviews:

• Album rating is now also located at the top-right of each review above the “Listen Now” box.
• Amazon song samples box is now in a “Listen Now” box at the top-right of each review.
• Bottom of each page has a link to the next older or newer article, so if you want you can more easily go from one review to the next.

All of this adds up to a lot of change and (hopefully) improvement at here at Striker Bill. Of course, all of this means little if you don’t voice in and let us know what you think of what we’ve done. As we stated earlier, we’d love to hear any kind of feedback, whether its positively or negatively inclined. Thanks for reading and we hope you come visit us again soon and often.

Cheers,

Chris (Chief Editor) & Jason (Site Admin)

Sugarplum Fairies – Chinese Leftovers

Apparently, Sugarplum Fairies aren’t particularly big fans of Saturday.  In fact, if their songwriting is consistent to reality then they downright hate them, which they assert exactly halfway through their fourth and latest LP.  But that’s okay, since their style of music isn’t tailor made for the Saturday scene to begin with.  Made up of the LA by way of Vienna, Austria duo of Silvia Ryder and Ben Bohm, along with their revolving coterie of musical talent, have gotten pretty good at making the hazy dream pop that they’ve been crafting for several years now.  This time around, the additional players include the talents of Joey Waronker on drums, Gus Seyffert on bass, and Jebin Bruni on keyboards, amongst many others.  I could spend the next several hours and several thousand words abstracting out from this starting point, but that would only result in me talking the long way around to come to the same result.

Constructed primarily from a base of slow chiming acoustic guitars and Ryder’s whispered, almost hypnotic lead vocals, the band keeps things down tempo and to an extent low key as well.  For me, the first listen conjured up images and memories of when Mazzy Star and Luna were on top of their game back in the 90s.   Subtlety seems to be the name of the game here, in both the composition and arrangements of the eleven tracks that make up Chinese Leftovers to the way that this album seems to sway from one song to the next.  Even in its most “bombastic” moments (and I use quotes around that word because nothing on this record can be described officially as such) such as on “First Rate Show” the horn flourishes that pepper the arrangement aren’t much more than pleasant.  They don’t quite have the energy to be considered exciting.  “I Hate Saturdays” is much the same in being defined as a pleasant piece of music, minus the horn flourishes of course, and sounds as if it would fit nicely into the soundtrack of a 1980s era buddy comedy/romantic comedy.

The rest of the album falls right in line with my aforementioned description for their brand of hazy dreampop.  “Westside” is a delicate little number centered around a core of gently strummed acoustic guitars, bells, and cellos that, when fit with Ryder’s hushed vocal stylings can sound downright beautiful at times.  “Mercy” is an upbeat (at least for this album) and moderately catchy ditty that is adorned with some pleasant accordian accents.  While they’re, for all intents and purposes, your average dreampop fare, “Head and Tail” and “Hold On To Me” are not without their charms.  And “Chinese Leftovers,” once it gets started, builds itself up rather nicely by piling the guitars and keyboards without making them sound cluttered and noisy and features some enjoying vocal harmonies from Ryder and Bohm.  However, songs like “I Wish I Never Saw the Sunshine,” “Smile,” and “Polaroid” fail to develop the way I hoped they would from their outset and end up a little too sleepy for their own good.

Like all albums Chinese Leftovers has its definite ups and its downs.  At it’s high water marks the band crafts lush yet simplistic dream pop that has the strength to hang with the best of them, while at it’s low points the record has a tendency to drag and become a bit listless.  Regardless the band has put together a solid collection of songs that in many ways is a great Sunday afternoon-post-Saturday-night festivities album, but I wouldn’t recommend listening while operating heavy machinery late at night.

The Pretty Faces – Another Sound

I experienced one of those flashback moments a while back when I received the press kit and sophomore album from Boca Raton by way of Waterloo, Canada trio known as The Pretty Faces in the mail. Back in my younger days we used to get all kinds of crazy things in press kits from bands. They would include lyrics, bumper stickers, signed letters, 8×11 glossy photographs, and a whole lot more just to help themselves earn some much needed attention. I, for one, couldn’t blame them: the crush of new CDs passing through my office could reach a staggering 125 albums a week, 49 weeks out of the year. Needless to say, it isn’t too hard to get lost in the shuffle just a little bit. Anyway, we used to take those glossies from the bands and albums that we didn’t like and add weird autographs and hang them up for a chuckle. Maybe just a bit heartless on our parts, after all these groups were just trying their earnest best to get their product to the public. But in a high-paced, stressful environment such as that a good laugh was always needed.

The Pretty Faces did not include a glossy photograph with their press kit, but if they had their second album certainly wouldn’t warrant any of those additional embellishments. Consisting of Jeph, Hannah, and Thomas Thorslund (first two married, Tom is Jeph’s brother), the group crafts polished, mildly garage-influenced power pop that for the most part has no frills, no rough patches, and no excess baggage. I spent my entire first listen of this album trying to figure out who they bare resemblance to. For one reason or another I feel as if I’ve heard something close to these ten songs before, but for one reason or another I just couldn’t place it. So I dove into the 2900 cds that make up my personal collection and started to do some digging. And I could rattle off a bevy of groups that minor similarities could be argued for: The Sun, Senor Happy, Nada Surf, Razorlight (TPF’s “Rib” bares a resemblence to Razorlight’s “Vice” in spots), Garrison Starr…but none of them really do the band justice. It’s more suitable to say that the band’s signature sound combines little bits and pieces from each of these, putting them together into a tight, snappy little package.

Tight, poppy song structures, churning full-bodied power chords and tuneful guitar solos, and a nicely thundering and complementary rhythm backbone are the basis around which this set of songs is constructed. The band never strays far from this path, but in all actuality they don’t need to. For as the saying goes, if it ain’t broke don’t fix it. The guitar lines of Jeph and Hannah are stacked appropriately on top of each other and the rest of the pieces that comprise the album are well assembled, with no bit sounding awkward or offline. This is particularly present on songs like “Inch by Inch,” “Rib,” and album standout “Right on the Money” which all fit the afore mentioned mold perfectly and never overstay their welcome. Meanwhile, Jeph allows his vocals to soar, but reins them reined in just enough, what I sometimes refer to as the controlled burn effect. While she only gets one crack at it, Hannah turns in a nice performance on “Elephant,” as her smooth, honey-tinged vocals almost makes it easy to overlook the fact that it’s a tune that bemoans being able to remember what you want to forget.

In general, there’s a lot of ache present on this album, from “Inch by Inch” (All this time on my own/I miss my home/there’s a feeling I get/when I watch the jets) to the record’s title track (It’s not the time or the recipe/for stealing hearts, chasing your daydreams/all these people here they call my name/I recognize their voice, but I don’t know their faces anymore) which seems to contradict the peppy bounce that these songs possess. Despite this fact, and even when things slow down a bit in the middle on songs like “Halfway There” and “Yellow Highway Lights” the band never seems to be playing outside their comfort zone. The album closes with it’s most urgent moments in “Pistolera” and “Sinking Ship,” a pair of songs that slip easily and comfortably from the powerpop that is most prevalent on this record down to a sweatier and more energetic rock & roll feel.

I’m sure that there are some listeners that might try to argue that we’ve heard this kind of record before and that it doesn’t merit a significant amount of attention. And while this isn’t the most complex or inventive release you’re bound to hear this year or any year, it’s certainly far from just being a straight regurgitation of sound. Instead, this album represents a solid union of sound, structure, and lyrical content demonstrates what this type of pop can be when it’s done right. If you’re looking for some blissful summertime powerpop, then this is just about as good a choice as any you’re bound to come across this year.

Lord Cut-Glass – Lord Cut-Glass

I’ll admit it, I was fairly bummed when the Delgados broke up back in 2005, especially considering the affinity I had for the group’s last three studio LPs. I can hardly find fault with their reasoning for the amicable split, as the Scottish group decided that it wouldn’t be the same to continue on after the departure of bassist Stewart Henderson. All four members are still involved heavily in running Chemikal Underground, the record label that they founded together back in 1994. As for their careers post-Delgados: drummer Paul Savage handles the production duties at Chem19 Studios while Emma Pollock released her first solo album Watch the Fireworks back in 2007. Her debut was a solid effort with a bunch of good tracks, but while it resembled the work of her previous band in places to me it didn’t quite have the spark that is present on a Delgados album.

As for vocalist and guitarist Alun Woodward, he returns to the spotlight with his debut LP recorded under the handle Lord Cut-Glass, a name which he pulled from the Dylan Thomas radio play Under Milk Glass.  Many casual music fans would be able to identify this as some form of pop pretty quickly, though most would be remiss to say that they had ever heard anything quite like this before.  Quirky is the best way to describe the eleven songs that Woodward has included on this record, but that descriptor still leaves a lot of gaps that need to be filled in.  It’s equal parts baroque splendor and warped, off-kilter pop music…The formula is intriguing, combining a thousand little elements together to create a tapestry that is largely unlike any being crafted these days.  Rich and sometimes dense arrangements centered around acoustic guitar bases resplendent with horns, majestic sound structures, and orchestral flourishes are in demand and available in great quantity during these eleven songs.  Woodward is able to pull it off due in part to the talented group of musicians that he’s surrounded himself with, at least when he’s not performing the individual parts himself.  He also keeps it all in the family, bringing in Paul Savage to play drums as well as assist in the mixing and engineering of this album.

The warped pop structures that Woodward has on exhibit here are merely amplified by the lyrical content of the album.  With song titles such as “Even Jesus Couldn’t Love You,” “I’m a Great Example to the Dogs,” “Monster Face,” and “Big Time Teddy” help to set the tone before the listener has allowed a single note to roll through his/her speakers.  In spite of some of the up-tempo, energetic arrangements, some of these lyricals lean a bit towards the depressed/bittersweet spectrum.  However, some of the amalgam’s of sound and word that exist on here are a bit too off the wall and a bit too eccentric for their own good, resulting in a couple of tracks that just can’t quite live up to their initial expectations.  “Look After Your Wife” sounds like it might as well be two entirely seperate songs as the melodic and rhythmic composition takes a sharp turn halfway through.

Really, all of these things make for what can be described as no less than an interesting listen, but by the same measure it’s easy to see that this is not for everyone, nor will some understand quite what Woodward is trying to accomplish with this set of songs.  I can’t even come up with a good artist to compare him to in order to draw a historical context to his sound on this.  Initially, I was going to suggest that his material lie somewhere within the Neil Hannon (The Divine Comedy) and Brian Wilson territory, but now I’m not so sure at all.  Regardless, this is a creative and intriguing set of songs that, in spite of it’s faults and weaknesses, is worth a listen just so listeners can hear a bit of the Lord Cut-Glass motif.

The Jury: Case 14

The Jury is back once again, just in time for the holiday weekend with another group of five for them to pour over.  You as the reader can also play along at home and see if you agree with the opinions that they’re expressing here.  The usual crew of Danielle, Melissa, and Chris are back again, with Darren once more AWOL and wanted for contempt of court.  Anyway, away we go:

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Exhibit A: Kasabian – Vlad the Impaler

Chris: This is the new Kasabian single? They’ve gone all out-electronic and the results leave me skeptical at best. This sounds scattered and disjointed, as if an assortment of random song parts were cut and pasted together.

Danielle: Vlad the Impaler was a wicked dude. And I don’t mean wicked cool, I mean just wicked. He used to take the heads of his enemies, thrust giant skewers through them, and arrange the impaled heads like lawn ornaments around his castle. It apparently was a warning to all his potential enemies, “don’t eff with me.”

Mr. Impaler is the inspiration for Bram Stoker’s Dracula character, and I think this song totally takes that to heart. I dig the organ and gothic, almost techno beat. It reminds me of the opening song in “Blade.” I believe Vlad himself would approve of this tune. Two fangs up!

Melissa: I kind of liked this, but it definitely didn’t sound like the Kasabian I know and love.  Much more amped up and full of oomph!

MP3: Kasabian – Vlad the Impaler

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Exhibit B: Rhett Miller – I Need to Know Where I Stand

Danielle: I must admit, I like this song simply because of the lyrics. Rhett Miller was always a little country, which isn’t a bad thing, but I’m almost never in the mood for it. But still, it’s a cute little tune with heavy and sad lyrics.

Melissa: There’s something about a singer songwriter earnestly singing his feelings with an acoustic guitar that just feels so warm and comfortable (though the lyrics here might argue against that!)

Chris: Well, this is exactly what I’d expect from a solo side project from the Old 97’s leader. Alt-country in the vein of his main band, but more focused on the singer-songwriter, in this case, Mr. Miller. Not great, but not awful. If there was an ‘adult alternative’ division of indie rock, this would be it.

Danielle: I notice that most people never actually listen to lyrics of songs. They may even know and sing the words, but they never really process their meaning. I think the light melody belies the deep feelings and torture expressed in this song. I dig it…

MP3: Rhett Miller – I Need to Know Where I Stand

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Exhibit C: Elvis Costello – The Crooked Line

Danielle: I don’t understand the English language. Crooked is pronounced crook-ed. But booked isn’t pronounced book-ed, and looked isn’t pronounced look-ed.

Chris: Elvis Costello has reached the point in his career when he can do whatever the hell he pleases. He no longer feels the pressure to chart and self-releases his material, so this is what you get. It’s not horrible, but I’m not sure I’d even take notice if some “who dat” alt country dude released this.

Danielle: This song reminds me of the Country Bears Jamboree. I like the big, fat bear that blows into the jug. “I wish they all could be California beaaaaaaars!”

Melissa: Elvis Costello is unarguably excellent, but this just isn’t for me…

MP3: Elvis Costello – The Crooked Line

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Exhibit D: So Many Dynamos – Artifacts of Sound

Melissa: Yet another production project of Chris Walla’s… and this one isn’t too bad to tell the truth.  I like it!

Chris: This sounds like a slightly more amped up Minus the Bear. Overall, they do a pretty good job of using technical guitarwork to craft a pop-oriented song.

Danielle: There is nothing wrong with this song. Yet, today, I can’t concentrate on this song. Today, I find nothing particularly special or interesting about it. It’s good, but it’s not special. Give it a spin, though. It may tickle your fancy, but it does nothing for mine.

 MP3: So Many Dynamos – Artifacts of Sound

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Exhibit E: Electric Owls – Halloween Mask

Danielle: What would an electric owl look like? I envision giant, neon yellow eyes glowing in the darkness. Or I envision the Nite Owl’s wicked (wicked good this time) ride, Archimedes, in “The Watchmen.”

Chris: A nice, cuddly song that’s equal parts indie pop and indie folk. Sounds like it could have been on the Nick and Norah’s soundtrack. And that’s not a diss, it was just the film that sucked…

Melissa:  I always think it’s strange when bands choose to start songs with an intro that sounds nothing like the rest of the song.  Once you get past that  out of place bit the song really carries itself on a lovely little journey of harmonies and strings.

Danielle: I think actual electric owls would be cooler than this song.

 MP3: Electric Owls – Halloween Mask

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