|
|
|
BANDS: Punk
& Ska INTERESTS: Venues ETC... About
LOTD
|
The Fatales:
Pretty in Pixels
This five-member core of moody glammers hails from Blacksburg, Va., but they also seem to spend time soaking up the scenes of Washington, D.C. and Brooklyn, NY. Maybe this is what keeps them from getting directly slapped with a label from reviewers like me. Before I really listened to it, I wanted to compare them to Interpol and other jangly synth rockers. Coming from a smaller town such as Blacksburg, I imagine they had a little more time to define their own sound without being pigeon-holed into a needy genre as so many bands have been. The production on this album sounds absolutely beautiful. Driven at just the right level, the guitars sing as the bass bounces right along at its side without getting lost or drowned out. A cello works its way slowly through the background, casting a somber shadow behind the singer. The first track starts off slowly, leading the listener into a soaring and pulsating synth atmosphere. This track then dips down into the next as a short cello piece draws the listener closer to the speaker. Out of the ground comes a quick count off and the EP is up and running. Airplane drones and choppy guitars that are set against rooted bass and piano/synth rhythms create a wonderful dance partner for the vocalist. He starts in a far-from-emotional manner, almost as if hes extremely bored with the project; but out of no where, he slips into a crooning, heartfelt chorus carrying a kind of loose, desperate crack in his raised voice. Blending a Walkmen-esque slurring with a Robert Smith soft, curled lip snarl, the singer cant help but move you. The album signs out with an acoustic, feedback-laced number that ends in a bent, screeching hum. To this I say, yes Virginia, there is a place for noisy, metallic buzzes in rock; and it sounds beautiful. Pretty in Pixels aside, the Fatales have another EP that is only four tracks long (which LOTD has also reviewed). The band seems to be slowly sticking their heads above water looking for a response, and I look forward to reviewing a full-length from this group in the near future.
About LOTD Contact/Staff Advertise Home All content © LEFT OFF THE DIAL 2001-2005. All rights reserved. |
