Cracked and Diseased with Eliza and The Strange

Sometimes it takes a lot of leg-work in this business to find the next underground sensation, and sometimes they just fall right into your lap. A lot of the bands that have made it on to NewRockNews43 have been the result of many hours searching for just the right band to next review. Eliza and The Strange, however, were the happiest of accidents that have turned into an obsessive listening binge for the last 72 hours that's almost kept me from any sleep at all. Trolling the random Facebook feeds that pop up in front of me daily, I was intrigued by a few words detailing a new "voodoo-rock" band from Nova Scotia. That intrigue has turned into an obsession and a new top-five band in my head.

Eliza and The Strange

Eliza and The Strange are a creepy voodoo-rock five-piece from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada that sound like darkness and exude a sexy deviance I can't help but find myself attracted to. Composed of Eliza White (lead vocals and organ), Alex MacAskill (guitar), Ian Bennett (guitar), Jake Seaward (bass), and Kenny Myers (drums), Eliza and The Strange strangle from their instruments a hair-raising groove that would find home in any Tim Burton or Johnny Depp film. At just over 30 minutes long, their self-titled debut release (which just came out this past Friday!) drips in sex, fury, dirt, and grit, and oozes from the speakers with the same kind of intoxicating rhythms that made songs like "Queer" and "Vixen" super-sized hits for Garbage.

Eliza and The Strange's self-titled debut album

One of the hardest things to do with this album is to find just the right songs to go into detail on, because there are simply too many good ones to choose from. "Lady of the Night" is bass-led by Seaward and showcases White's deceptively sexy vocals. The guitar riff and chords laid down by MacAskill are simple and catchy, and set against Myers' cymbal crashes, perfectly encapsulate the feeling of straight power behind White's breathy vocals (though Bennett is new to the group and does not play on the majority of the album, he does play on the album's final track, "They've Got Secrets").
Yet my favorite track form the minute I hear it is track number two, "She Ain't Pretty." From second one, MacAskill's guitar riffs are addictive, and as they disappear behind Seaward's basslines and Myers' dimming during the verses, the blast/disappear form that details the song's structure is a beautifully clear and brilliant tribute to the Pixies' loud-quiet-loud dynamic. The rhythms in the song are contagious, and at just over 2 minutes, "She Ain't Pretty" is a blitzkrieg assault on my senses, tearing me apart one minute and gone the next. White's vocals are sultry and seductive during the verses, but blast forward as the chorus comes, and mixed with her dirty organ notes, the gritty guitar chords and minimalist drumming, I'm reminded of a Mudhoney-meets-Garbage mashup. With a lead-single track like this, it's no wonder that Eliza and The Strange chose "She Ain't Pretty" as the song for their first music video. Shot in an eerie black and white and washed out purple, the music video for "She Ain't Pretty" is one mindfuck after another in the best of ways. Scenes of the band tearing it up live intermingle with shots of a girl dancing and walking through a cemetery. White and company revel in the dirt and grit that they pull from their instruments, and watching them play live is like watching a building engulfed in flames: almost too scary to watch, but so ethereal and transcendent that you can't look away. Beautifully scary and wonderfully creepy, "She Ain't Pretty" is a five-star track and smash single if there ever was one. Bringing together Dead Weather-style vocals and White Stripes-influenced fretwork, Eliza and The Strange make this song an instant classic. To add fuel to the already blazing fire, MacAskill brings the whole house of cards crashing down at the end, letting loose on a blistering guitar riff and solo that tops out chaos-driven drumming and bombshell-basslines. If you listen to only one track from this album, "She Ain't Pretty" has to be it.

To continue their voodoo-rock groove, Eliza and The Strange come back a few minutes later with "White Lies," a riff-driven song that builds on itself with effects and rhythm that make it unforgettable. Wet with sweat and grime, "White Lies" is everything that's great about rock 'n' roll and going to a small, hole-in-the-wall club to see an amazing band. I can feel myself being jostled and jilted between the other sweaty concert goers, and any song that can bring that to me as I sit writing at a computer has an innate intense power that makes it more than just a diamond in the rough. MacAskill's bouncy guitar rhythm is rough around the edges and helped along by Myers' simplistic yet decisive drumming. White's organ creeps onto the scene with muddy blues notes, and twinkles dimly in the night just over MacAskill's nimble fretwork. With distortion and feedback enough for ten guitars, MacAskill sets "White Lies" apart from the rest with a subtle conniption of attitude that speaks to the versatility and power behind the track. Yet "White Lies" also plays host to a brilliantly disguised rhythm change, and with the stop/start dynamic of the song and White's hypnotic vocals to sway to, I'm lost in a dark vortex of purpled-black.
"They've Got Secrets" is not only the last track on Eliza and The Strange's album, but it's also the longest. I love the slow, droning bassline, the laid-back drum beat and vocal set that reek of blues-rock heritage and attitude. The two minutes in White goes full-throttle on her organ as Seaward and Myers share energy on the rhythm section just below MacAskill's heavy riffs. Bennett, who makes his recording debut with the band on this track, is quick to keep up with MacAskill, injecting his own brand of adrenaline into the brittle skeleton of the song. The only way to describe this song is as darkness incarnate amped up to an epic level and laced with seductive hypnotism. The best way to close out the album, and certainly a track that leaves me wanting more, "They've Got Secrets" is a brash whirlwind of distorted guitars and blood-curdling wails.
The fact that this is the debut album says something to me about this band. Eliza and The Strange are full-throttle all the way through all 30 minutes of this recording, and with these ten songs under their belts, the hair on the back of my necks stands up at the thought of what else these guys could be capable of. The combination of minimalist rhythms and eerily seductive vocals is a winning idea, and on their self-titled debut, Eliza and The Strange take the idea to its most triumphant heights. The only thing that's strange about this band is that they don't already have a major following of thousands. No doubt that when people start listening to this album in addition to the music video, big things will start to happen for Eliza and The Strange. I can't wait to see what this band comes up with next, because I know in my bones it's going to be something reveling in voodoo-rock and unbelievably addictive.

Sounds Like: The White Stripes, The Dead Weather, Garbage, The Kills

Key Tracks from Eliza and The Strange: "She Ain't Pretty," "Crack," "White Lies," "Disease," "Lady of the Night," "They've Got Secrets"

Check out Eliza and The Strange more at their: Homepage, Facebook and Myspace  

Darling Parade Debut "Never Wrong" Music Video

Darling Parade have been making a lot of headlines here lately (and I promise that review and interview are coming, just be patient guys), but that can only be because this band is just on fucking fire. With the release of their new single "Never Wrong" not more than a week ago, the Darlings follow it up now with the music video. "Never Wrong" will see Darling Parade growing and maturing in their musical style and power. A retro active song that makes the best use of pop-punk rhythm married to smooth, evocative vocals, "Never Wrong" could easily be Darling Parade's entrance into the mainstream. We'll see, but for now, this is Darling Parade's new music video for "Never Wrong." Check it out!!

Friday Night with The Shackeltons

So I've been listening to these guys all morning, and I just gotta say, they're freakin' amazing. Hailing from Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, The Shackeltons are a new-wave/indie-rock band with an amazing sound that seems to blend Cage the Elephant with Silversun Pickups. Fitting, it seems then, that they're touring with Cage the Elephant. I got way psyched, though, when I saw they were coming to Atlanta this Saturday. There's no way I'm missing seeing these guys live, especially if Cage the Elephant's gonna be there too.

Made up of Mark Redding (vocals), Eric Fisak (guitar), Ryan Egolf (guitar), Justin McDaniel (bass), and Sean Hallock (drums), The Shackeltons bring a soul-ish funk to their new-wave numbers, and as they expand on the indie-rock sound, I'm floored that these guys have a sound that's so different. I see on their Myspace that they've recieved rave comments by the Seattle Times and Rolling Stone, but unfortunately I just don't trust big name magazines and papers to talk about what's really important. So here I am, and four track reviews later, you'll know all you need to know about The Shackeltons.

I start with "Get Out," a clearly indie-rock/blues-rock-influenced track that takes away any wonder I might have as to why these guys are touring with CTE. Fisak's and Egolf's guitars are distorted pleasures to my ears, blending new-wave/indie-rock with blues rhythms and garage-rock beats. Hallock's drums are crazy here, reaching John Bonham-like levels, and as McDaniel's bass just keeps pumping and pumping, I'm reminded of John Entwhistle by his style. Above it all are Redding's frenzied blues-rock/funk vocals. I can't decide whether he's singing or screaming, or a mixture of both, but the bottom line is that I love it, and whatever he's doing, he's doing it right.

Song number two for me is "Emergency," an easy-starting song that rides on Fisak's melodic guitar progression as Egolf's lays down a rhythm track. One thing I love though, is the way Redding speaks the vocals at the beginning of the song. I'm reminded of a Johnny Cash/Jim Morrison sound, where Redding here is trying to get something deeper out of the lyrics. Trying to push the poetry through to the audience, and I love it. Among it all is McDaniel's bass, softly keeping time in the background as Hallock's drums are slow, almost lazy, but still managing to find the snare and cymbals at the right times. Definitely a new-wave-inspired track, and I'm almost tempted to label this track at least as shoegaze-alternative. It reminds me a little bit of Smashing Pumpkins through the lazy beat and heart-felt, poetic vocals. And with everything speeding up towards the end, it's definitely one of the must-hear songs on the album.

Then I move to "Yellow Cadillac," a melancholy-esque song that starts, like the previous, on a few slow guitar notes. But then McDaniel and Hallock crash in together, and with Hallock's movements on the snare and toms, it slowly builds into an amazing speed, with Egolf laying down a rhythm and Fisak following suit. Redding's vocals here, too, at more poetic, less sing-songy, and with this music, I wouldn't have it any other way. They fit brilliantly, and his voice is just raspy enough to grab my attention without alienating me with roars. I love the stop-start tempo of the song, making use of the Pixies quiet-loud dynamic, and the great, melodic guitar riff towards the end doesn't hurt either. Brilliant song.

The last track I listen to is "Madeline," and from second one, it starts with a fantastic bass line from McDaniel. Then Hallock builds in on the kit, and Fisak and Egolf lay down perfectly synched guitars to provide Redding with a stage for his harsh, new-wave/indie vocals. What I love most about this track, besides the catchy guitar riffing, is the incredible ambiance it exudes. It just feels like you're falling into the music, and that's something that will take a song right to the top if it can do it right. A solid finish to what promises to be a fantastic album.

Sounds Like: Silversun Pickups, Smashing Pumpkins, Pixies, Cage the Elephant

Key Tracks from The Shackeltons: "Emergency," "Get Out," "Yellow Cadillac," "Madeline"

Check out The Shackeltons more at: http://www.myspace.com/theshackeltons and http://www.theshackeltons.com/main/

Cage the Elephant!

Ok so I found these guys a few days ago when I had really bad insomnia. Bored as hell at 4 in the morning, I got on the net and went to the Billboard 200 to see what was new in the indie universe. The result? These guys, Cage the Elephant. An interesting blend of indie-rock and blues-inspired punk, CTE was listed in the top ten on the independent releases for that day, so I decided to check out the first single from their self-titled debut album, "Ain't No Rest for the Wicked." Now, on first listen, I saw nothing amazing about this track. it was only about 8 hours later when I heard it for the first time on the radio (that day, go figure), that it really hit me. A fantastic blend of a blues beats and clever lyrics, not to mention a killer slide guitar, "Ain't No Rest for the Wicked" is the track to listen to if you want something completely new.

Now for the non-American readers, all this info won't be anything new, considering their album was released in the U.K. in June of last year, a full year before the release of it here in the U.S. Yet that doesn't at all diminish the awesome new sound of Cage the Elephant; made up of Matt Shultz (lead vocals), Brad Shultz (rhythm guitar), Jared Champion (drums), Daniel Tichenor (bass and backing vocals), and Lincoln Parish (lead guitar). Pick up their debut album Cage the Elephant now.

Sounds Like: The White Stripes, The Vines

Key Tracks from Cage the Elephant: "Ain't No Rest for the Wicked," "In One Ear," "Lotus"

Check out Cage the Elephant at: http://www.cagetheelephant.com/ and http://www.myspace.com/cagetheelephant