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Mazarin
For a good dosage of psych-pop that is hazy, cheery, and welcoming, I always turn to Mazarin. Although their heyday seemed to be a few years ago with the release of the lovely A Tall-Tale Storyline. After that, the band did a few tours here and there, but slowly faded from my consciousness until their triumphant return after a two and a half year absence. Where did they take their paisley-loving retro-pop? Where have they been these last few years?
But, who really cares? Not I, not any longer when I've been blessed with a beautiful, uber-catchy, and memorable work like last year's We're Already There. Perhaps the flowery, decorative, intricate cover of the album speaks volumes about the songs within: these dreamy, layered indie popsters have a sunny, West-Coast sheen that hides their Philly roots; the lyrical content is often dark, speaking of relationships and meditations on life, but settles comfortably among ringing guitars, programmed drums, and all manner of chimes, effects, and backup harmonies. A gentle, hazy rocker like "Wheats" has a candy shell that only hides the carefully sarcastic, bittersweet refrain: "I never loved you at all." My favorite Mazarin songs are the ones that are masquerading as lazy lullabies or tambourine-laden prayers or three-minute sparkling glasses of bubbly pop.
We're Already There is full of enchantment and energy, in carefully meted bursts like "The New American Apathy." Songs rarely outstay their welcome, pop hooks never get buried under too much studio trickery, and there's an overall sense of jubilation flirting with lots of reverb. Mazarin: we missed you, and we're entirely too glad to have you back. So here's a toast to a potential indie-pop uprising, lead by Mazarin's Quentin Stoltzfus.
Mazarin - Wheats
Mazarin - Green Lane
Mazarin - Suicide Will Make You Happy
Mazarin - The New American Apathy
Mazarin - Ne Winter
Mazarin - I'm With You And Constellations
Mazarin's official site. Purchase We're Already There from Amazon or iTunes Music Store. Mazarin play on Thursday, March 16 at 10:00 p.m. at Buffalo Billiards, as part of the Bigshot Touring showcase.
Shadows tags:mazarin.
Posted by Queen of the Front Row at 03.01.06 at 12:08 AM
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