The Eyebrows – Open Mic Tuesday
Similar artists: Fountains Of Wayne, Big Star, Cheap Trick, Pixies
Genre: Indie Rock, Alternative Rock
“Oh, if you could only write a song!” That’s what most A&R reps must’ve thought to themselves as they signed most of the rock bands which poured millions in decades past. A nice hairdo and the right leather jacket can only get you so far, you soo. And just like Andrew Tate, the folks who really want to become famous out of making music ain’t got time to read a book or pour their comments down into a song.
Joke writing and song-making are the two areas in which geeks, dorks and nerds seem to excel. It may not seem as glamorous as hanging out with Tommy Lee and sniffing cocaine off of strippers’ buttocks, but it could make you better liked than the band Lee is in. Contrary to what popular television shows may have taught you, people rarely go crazy for someone who can play guitar or drum solos. But give them a good song or feed a joke, and you have them.
The Eyebrows’ sweet, hilarious “Open Mic Tuesday” is a power-pop written by people who’ve learned a lot about the world by observing it from a safe distance. Keeping eyes and ears open has certainly helped. What they’ve been left with is the kind of self-effacing commentaries that tend to warm audiences to the cause and an ear for powerful melodies trained by the power-pop greats. Really, no more is needed. Even Tommy is bound to get in touch and ask for a tune for his old band.
Paradise Vultures – Catacombs
Genre: Indie Rock
There are plenty of documentaries about 90s grunge or about 70s punk-rock that you can sample. And while I’m sure most of them mention the tunes, all of them like to focus on just how humble the musicians in these bands were. They’ll tell you that they didn’t want to show off and play long solos. They tell you that they didn’t want to dress any differently from the people in the audience watching them.
Well, surely, there’s a nugget of truth to that. But if there is, it’s covered in a whole lot of naivety. If these people didn’t want to draw attention to themselves, why did they get up on stage and write all of those songs about inner and outside conflict? If those people didn’t want to be judged for their looks, why did they make all those videos and agree to appear in music magazines? Perhaps, in the end, they found balance, but surely, they were not without an ego.
Paradise Vultures’ “Catacombs” is a musical product made for your entertainment and designed to draw your attention to it. Good! There are too many humble, would-be rockstars about as it is. The duo’s visual presentation worked out well. But the sound is also an interesting mix of grunge sludge, distorted vocals, and clever, modern pop melodies. They’re shooting for the stop, and it’s good to know that some bands still want to reach all the way up there.
