Those Darlins, The Dø and more
Those Darlins: country to stagedive to
According to Moneymagazine, Murfreesboro, Tennessee is the 84th best place to live in the US. Co-incidentally, it is also the town that Those Darlins call home, all three landing here to attend college or just hang out before coming together with guitar, bass and ukulele.
Kelley, Nikki and Jessi Darlin make hell-raising punk-rock country music. It’s the latest iteration of alt-country, a what-the-hell mix of punk, indie-pop and, yes, country which is nonchalant, sassy and as smart as hell.
Even though Murfreesboro is only a couple of dozen miles that side of Nashville, you won’t find Those Darlins shilling for Music City stetsons in some fake honky-tonk. No siree, they’re on a different musical trip, though they do appreciate Nashville’s vintage and heritage.
“We all romanticise Nashville as it was 50 years ago and the scene that existed from the 1940s through the 1960s with Johnny Cash and Loretta Lynn,” explains Jessi Darlin. “We imagined that it was still like that. But then we actually played Nashville and the reality is that it sucks. For a while there was this hope that we could bring it back, but that’s impossible.” Instead, they’ve concentrated on their own brand of stomping and hollering.
Check out their Wild OneEP, which was recorded in Brooklyn with Vampire Weekend accomplice Jeff Curtin, for starters. Wild Oneis a buckwild tune about nice girls getting their drink on and having a whale of a time, The Whole Damn Thingoutlines the joys of eating a whole chicken and Snaggle Tooth Mamais a hoot about rednecks and their girls.
Live, as we can testify from their South By Southwest adventures earlier this year, they’re even better. Let’s hope we get to see Those Darlins over here soon – country music you can stagedive to.
[ www.myspace.com/darlinsOpens in new window ]
The Dø: mouthing off
There are times when a release takes on a life of its own and just keeps on trucking. The Dø initially released their album,
A Mouthful, in January 2008 and French-Finnish duo Dan Levy and Olivia Merilahti saw it race to the top of the charts in France.
Since then,
A Mouthfulhas continued to work its magic further afield, especially through songs such as
On My Shouldersand
At Last!and the band's live show. After all, there is always an audience out there for kooky tunes with a range of influences, a quirky sense of place and a sophisticated blend of pop mischief. The trick is finding that audience and persuading them to get on board.
That's what The Dø have been doing over and over again these past 18 months.
On My Shouldershas found plenty of radio stations ready to give it a berth. Likewise, the album and live show have found takers from the US to Australia.
All the band have to do now is find the time to come up with album number two and keep
A Mouthfulon the tracks. Bet they never thought the pop lark also involved such feats of juggling.
www.myspace.com/thedoband
Detroit Social Club
Psychedelic guitar ding-dongs and slo-mo bluesy grooves from hotly-tipped Newcastle combo.
www.myspace.com/detroitsocialclub
Ilex
Animation graduate Holly McGowan's glitchy soundscapes are perfect for sun-haze afternoons and the wee small hours.
www.myspace.com/fringe1
Deastro
Randolph Chabot perfected his tough electro-rock on Detroit's DIY venue circuit and now fronts a four-strong band.
www.myspace.com/deastro
The Candides
Folky chamber-pop from Irish-Dutch duo plus accomplices from the badlands of Dundalk.
www.myspace.com/thecandides
