Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros
Rough Trade / Vagrant
Did any of you miss this one from earlier in the Summer?
Maybe you’re leery of bands who sound insistent that you have a good time; the ones attempting panache with their pop while unabashedly donning a theatrical clown nose. Their trumpets forcefully nuzzle your ears like elephant bleats. But maybe you just can’t resist a classic hand-clap-along, call-and-response anthem. Those edgy electric guitars liven up their midsummer night’s bonfire folk aesthetic and the harmonies make you feel like you’re a part of their folk-rock-defying family of merry pranksters.
The chorus of their reggae-leaning protest march, “Please!” is simply one word: “Joy!” And “Two Voices,” with its giddy-up guitars, glistening strings and charming boy-girl harmonies ends with one word repeated five times: “Love!” Their third full length is their first “self-titled” work – suggesting this to be their defining/essential sound/vibe, s now’s your chance for a proper introduction.
This article appears in Sep 11-17, 2013.
