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The Earlies
(We featured the following artist last year on SYITP but thought they were so good that we should feature them again. This previous entry has been updated to reflect changes in the last 12 months. And if you missed out the first time around, now is your chance!)
What do you get when you take sleepy, sweet Grandaddy-esque vocals mixed with a heavenly chorus of voices floating in space, and then let those voices gallavant with the likes of Spiritualized, Air, and the Flaming Lips, while still bouncing around classical pop song structures as done by the Beatles? That's the Earlies, a delicious blend of witty British sensibilities and laid-back Texas charm.
I'm a sucker for lush and clever instrumentation done as orchestral bombast, especially by a band that's half-British and half-Texan. Rumor has it that the majority of the songs These Were the Earlies was constructed by sending music files back and forth online across the Atlantic Ocean. (Now that's what I call transatlanticism, Mr. Gibbard. Cough.)
The Earlies concoct a dreamy yet quirky blend of electronica, classic rock, prog, and psychedelia; close neighbors of the Beta band, The Earlies make electro-pop with beats galore poured over wispy folk, fighting with a bellicose army of brass instruments, and a few deranged free jazz lovers. On tour, they morph into a collective 11 members strong, in an effort to retain the awe-inspiring majesty of traditional rock matched with electronic tweaks creating a giant, sweeping landscape of sheer bliss.
Last year, the many members of the Earlies barely fit onto the stage at Maggie Mae's around 1am during their festival showcase; a few bandmates were forced to sit out the show, and instead, decided to get drunk and sing backing vocals from the front row. The packed room swayed and cheered at the ensemble featuring horns, keyboards, a cello, several vocalists and, of course, guitars (a logistical nightmare if there ever was one). The Earlies played a triumphant 20 minute set before being forced to shut it down; catch them while you can, because they may not be back in the States soon.
The Earlies - One Of Us Is Dead
The Earlies - Wayward Song
The Earlies - Morning Wonder
The Earlies' official site. Buy These Were the Earlies from Amazon and iTunes Music Store.
Shadows tag:theearlies.
Posted by Queen of the Front Row at 01.13.06 at 1:08 AM
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