Local Reviews: The Castanettes
Local Music Reviews
The Castanettes
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Self-Released
Street: 06.05.09
The Castanettes = Sloan + Midlake + The Brobecks
First off, the press sheet almost made me write this disc off before I even played it. I’m not supposed to quote the press sheet, but DOODS! Get all that self-righteous garbage about “Logan’s seedy music scene” and “the void of hedonism” out of there.
It’s totally cool that you’re Mormon, (really) but most of that just comes off as really condescending. Fortunately, the tunes mostly made me forget all that and got me humming along to some very well-arranged and catchy power-pop gems in the style of Canada’s power-pop masters, Sloan.
What, you’ve never heard of Sloan? Much Music? Eh? “In the Making” features some excellent swelling horns, strings, and an accordion that lead to a memorable ascending melody while “New French” brings things down a notch with subtle organ drones, clean guitars, and a general air of subdued sobriety. “Telephone” starts out slow with harmonized vocals and gentle piano chords but is soon overtaken by… funk? Don’t laugh, it works. All of it. Except for the press sheet. –Ryan Fedor