August 4, 2005 | Posted by mark at 3:25 PM

It's 2am, I'm Trying to Sleep

Thee More ShallowsThee More Shallows - 2am.

Everyone is better at the toy piano than me. Everyone has better ideas for it, better melodies, and better tuning. Years ago, back when the Internets were in their infancy I won a contest. As the grand prize winner I received a toy piano autographed by The Eels. I drove my neighbors insane with it for years and years. Finally I got the idea that it just wasn't worth it and I should just leave it to the professionals. Professionals like Thee More Shallows.

Dee (David) Kesler spent three years making this record. From what I've heard of it, it ranges from delicate pop to sweeping orchestral moments. It's pretty amazing stuff, and fits right in line with the rest of my collection. This is their first album for Turn Records, and their second album altogether.

I love the opening drum break, sounding like a soul snare. Then the toy piano kicks in, finding it's niche among the samples and ephemera without becoming too noisy or annoying (which is exceedingly hard to do). It just keeps stumbling along, barely staying on the rails. There's no real chorus, with things just getting louder and louder with no explosions. I'm pretty crazy about this band right now. Thee More Shallows do an amazing job of bridging the gap between epic instrumental indie rock and vocal-based indie pop. It's rare that a band excels at both. You either get an amazing GSYBE instrumental earthquake or you get a candy-sweet pop melody -- but Thee More Shallows have spent a lot of time figuring out how to deliver the complete package. I'm sold.

Kesler wasn't alone on the project, bringing in Chavo Fraser and Jason Gonzales on drums, samples, keyboards, and bass, with Odessa Chen on guitar and vocals. You can Buy the record direct from the label for 10 bucks. If you throw in an extra dollar they'll give you buttons, posters and all that. I highly recommend it.

Also, if you're in California this week, you'll get the chance to catch two quick shows, both with Hockey Night:

08/07 LA, CA @ Spaceland w/ Hockey Night
08/08 SF, CA @ 12 Galaxies w/ Hockey Night

Comments

It must be a toy piano kinda week. I just found out about Twink earlier this week on Boing Boing or Create Digital Music or something.

Posted by: Trachalio at August 4, 2005 3:52 PM

Every once in a great while a song grabs me so hard by the balls that I immediately order the album. This has been one of those times. Excellent work.

Posted by: Dan at August 4, 2005 5:43 PM

thank you again for opening my ears to artists i would have othewise never heard about. these guys are are most definately worth ten of my hard earned dollars. thanks for the heads up.

Posted by: jack at August 4, 2005 7:02 PM

Argh! Why must the SF show be on Monday!

Posted by: no frontin at August 5, 2005 2:35 AM

hi, new mp3 online on www.indiefordummies.blogspot.com !!!!

Posted by: Fran P at August 5, 2005 4:44 AM

Sounds like what would happen if Moby did vocals for Nine Inch Nails.

Posted by: John at August 5, 2005 6:51 AM

nice. real nice. and playing with hockey night. i'm so pissed im getting to the left coast a day late.

Posted by: Ninja at August 5, 2005 4:00 PM

i recently got my copy of More Deep Cuts on MFR's uncovering of this mp3 (the label sent cool other music too)...it's amazing, i think i'm listening to the best of 2005. thanks again!

Posted by: ewil at August 7, 2005 3:14 AM

Are you reviewing the show? I couldn't make it to Spaceland last night, so I'm interested (although the mention of Al Green makes me jealous enough).

Posted by: Delia at August 8, 2005 11:12 PM

I heard this on a podcast a couple of weeks ago - glad that it's getting the attention it deserves - its an awesome track

Posted by: Kats at August 9, 2005 4:35 PM

After what I heard was a lackluster show in LA TMS was pretty solid in San Francisco. Maybe it was the hometown support. Am I right that they're from SF / the bay area? I now wish I had taken a peek into that suitcase they play from.
Hockey Night was great and I'd definitely recommend checking out their new album on Lookout!. Unfortunately BART is a piece of shit so half the kids had to miss the Hockey Night set to makee it back to the East Bay.

Posted by: jc at August 9, 2005 5:10 PM
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