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songwriters

Sun Sister -- Rich American White Kidz

The term “garage rock” is sometimes passed around to denote a lack of quality or accessibility in a band’s sound. However, there is also a sense of purity and tradition in the genre, with the genesis of most major and influential movements in the rock and roll history originating in one corner of a basement or another. Straight from central Mass’ dirty burg, Sun Sister proudly parades their passports from Garageland with their premier EP, Rich American White Kidz; a four song shoegaze sample populated with songs of love and hate for junkies

Rich American White Kidz is also a surf/pop album produced with a loving amount of abandonment -- the production is low-fi, with a heavy focus on Stacy Baird’s phased-out vocals, which give the songs a distant and manic depressed feeling. Lyrically, the songs are reminiscent of such acts as The Velvet Underground, with first person looks at shady figures and burnouts with hearts.

The EP, out April 30 on the British-based indie label Tye Die Tapes, is now available for pre-order. Fans of shoegaze garage rock such as The Pillows, Plumtree, or The Moldy Peaches would be well off checking them out.--Anthony Geehan

 
February 2012
Friendly People
Friendly People EP

mp3

Friendly People’s debut, self-titled 3-song EP gives a concise taste of a promising young Cambridge, MA-based band. Their jangly indie pop is peppered with hints of Americana, roots rock and folk with vocals that owe a debt to Neil Young. The EP’s clear highlight is its opening track—their namesake song—“Friendly People”. It’s a tremendous, positive track buoyed by a horn section in the bridge which lends a mariachi feel. “A Lot of Work To Do” brings out Harvest-era Neil Young, starting as a plaintive acoustic ditty which builds slowly into a passionate electric number. Closing track, “Branches”, follows the same acoustic-to-electric path. As the song builds, it introduces tribal rhythms that are reminiscent of 80s indie-punk legends, the Volcano Suns. Friendly People are scheduled to record their debut full-length in March. If the Friendly People EP is indicative of what we can expect from this young group’s next batch of tunes it will be a record to keep an eye on later in 2012.--George Dow

 
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