Under the radar #53
Kristeenyoung; Turbo Fruits; Sirens Sister; Real Ones
Posted October 8, 2009
Metromix
Kristeenyoung, "Music for Strippers, Hookers and the Odd On-Looker" (self-released)
Hyped on: Nine Bullets; Popnography; Complete Control
MySpace
Who: Piano rocker Kristeen Young has been making the round since the late ‘90s with her eponymous band (usually typeset as KRISTEENYOUNG, an apt reflection of the singer’s shrill, aggressive style). The St. Louis–born, New York–based artist got a big boost in 2002 when David Bowie employed her on his “Heathen” album; out of those sessions, Young began working with Bowie producer Tony Visconti. “Music for Strippers” is the fourth LP Visconti has helmed for the band.
What: “I wanted to create a new sound for the piano on this album,” Young cockily declares in her press quotes, as if noisy piano bands like the Dresden Dolls and Ben Folds Five never existed. Still, it’s hard to argue that she and her lone bandmate, drummer “Baby” Jeff White, are onto something new here. There’s a raw, unhinged quality to the way Young hammers the ivories and hits her Kate Bush-like high notes, and Visconti boosts the piano-drums attack with plenty of distortion and the occasional electronic flourish. A lurching duet with Fall Out Boy’s Patrick Stump (“That’s What It Takes, Dear”) is an obvious highlight, but Young ably holds her own on thunderous anthems like “The Depression Contest” and “If You Marry Him.”
Made for: Dresden Dolls fans underwhelmed by Amanda Palmer’s less punky solo material. Girls who wear Hot Topic to their classical piano lessons. Boys with crushes on said girls.
X-Factor: Young was the opening act on Morrissey’s fall 2007 tour, but got canned after making a crude remark about the Pompadoured One during the tour’s New York stop. Memo to young artists: Don’t piss off the Moz! – AH
Turbo Fruits, "Echo Kid" (Fat Possum)
Hyped on: RCRD LBL; Music for Robots; It's Not the Band I Hate, It's Their Fans
MySpace
Who: Once a side project of Nashville garage-pop crossovers Be Your Own Pet, Turbo Fruits is now the main project for vocalist-guitarist Jonas Stein. While Pet flourished with short three-chord speed balls and the moody stage antics of frontwoman Jemina Pearl, Stein’s band stretches out the adrenaline a bit. Hell, there’s even a four minute song here!
What: The band has come a long way since their sloppy 2007 debut—which was very much a case of the wandering eye from a number-two frontman. Stein got himself some tight players and has shaped the vibe to be more bluesy, but still with a pedal-to-the-floorboard energy. Stein rips right into “Trouble” with the vicious confidence of a young Pelle Almqvist and his crack band keeping perfect pace. “Broadzilla”—a relative jam—is light with the lyrics, but one of the album’s more interesting cuts. Stein stretches his vocal range from tuneful to demonic over thrashing solo-after-solo. Nice! The balls-meet-wall aggression is broken up with a waltz (“Hold Me”) and a Strokesian love tune (“Sadie”).
Made for: Fans of the MC5, and all the neo-garage revivalists to follow.
X-Factor: The band has a featured performance in the Drew Barrymore/Ellen Page roller derby film, “Whip It.” – MR
Sirens Sister, "Unspeakable Things" (The Control Group)
Hyped on: Come Pick Me Up; Three Imaginary Girls
MySpace
Who: Way back in 2003, several members of what is now Sirens Sister were part of another band, Vendetta Red. That Seattle group, dubbed a "next big thing" by Rolling Stone, eked out one modern rock hit ("Shatterday") and two unjustly ignored major label albums before calling it a day. Since then, the group's been slightly reconfigured (both musically and member-wise), changed its name and recently released its second album under the Sister name, "Unspeakable Things."
What: While Vendetta was somewhat incorrectly pegged as an At the Drive-In ripoff, the influences for Sirens Sister are easier to spot: lots of ‘80s Brit-pop, with enough arena rock pomp and residual punk energy to keep old-school fans happy. On "Unspeakable," a little sped-up flamenco sneaks in here and there (the title track; "Eyes Catch Fire"), but for the most part this is dynamic, keyboard-tinged rock that would sound right at home next to Echo and the Bunnymen, the Cure and, to be more modern, Muse. And the riotous "Sparks" proves that Sister frontman Zach Davidson still possesses the best scream in rock 'n' roll…after his curly-haired lookalike, Roger Daltrey.
Made for: ‘80s music fans who veered toward British New Wave. Early decade emo/screamo kids discovering melody for the first time. Modern rock radio programmers (in a perfect world).
X-Factor: Fans of late ‘90s rockers Alien Crime Syndicate (another band with bad major label experience) should also check out Sirens Sister; former ACS member Jeff Rouse was in SS until recently, and the band's label (The Control Group) is owned by another ACS member. – KM
Real Ones, "All for the Neighbourhood" (The Rebel Group)
Hyped on: Together In Digital Dreams; iHearditOn; Snob's Music
MySpace
Who: A bunch of Norwegian dudes who sound like they could just as easily have come from Upstate New York or Portland, Real Ones have been putting their Scandinavian spin on a sort of Americana-informed indie-pop for quite some time, but only now are they getting some momentum in the States.
What: Banjo? Check. Copious vocal harmonies? Indeed. That little rootsy rhythm shuffle thing? Yep. Hey, did anybody check that Real Ones’ passports are, um, real ones?! Though the slightly psychedelic elements do help differentiate this quintet from the field, you’d be forgiven for lumping Real Ones in with the current crop of (mostly American) acts that are similar in sound. But that would overlook Real Ones’ well-honed approach—they’ve been at this for nearly a decade now—and more confident stylizing. Far from reserved revivalists too self-conscious to veer from the traditional playbook, Real Ones mix it up, incorporating an airy sense of adventure into their output. Tellingly, they’ve drawn comparisons to everyone from the Band to the Flaming Lips to Wilco.
Made for: Those looking for an alternative to the somber young men in beards currently dominating American indie-roots revivalism. Somber young men in beards—on an “up” day. College radio DJs. Inclusion on your next “Look how cool I am, I know about up-and-coming bands from Norway” mix.
X-Factor: Real Ones were recently commissioned to write an instrumental, concert-length piece for the electronic music and art festival called Ekko that’s held in their hometown of Bergen. An album of the piece has just been released and is worth seeking out. – KND
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