Friday, Clean Up

The Clean Prophets - Tambourine Crown

It is finally Friday afternoon, and it really couldn't have come soon enough, seriously. This first week back at work after the holidays had really been dragging, and it was only a four-day week for me! What the hell is my problem, right? Whatever, its not any kind of big deal, I'm just tired and a little out of it...

Anyway, I'll tell you one thing, there's nothing quite like nice ringing guitar tones to perk me up a bit, and the Clean Prophets have that in spades. Their sound is reminiscent of the best britpop (say, the first Oasis album, the first couple of Blur albums, mid-period Pulp), with a healthy dose of americana, and prime-time 90s college rock thrown in the mix. I don't mean to say they sound like a 90s throwback band, just that they take some of the best elements of this period - ie: ringing, swirling guitars, affected, but still sincere-sounding vocals, tight drum kit - and use them as a starting point to build on. The other bonus for me is the way the bass walks all over their songs (this is one of the reasons I've so thoroughly enjoyed the disco/dance/punk revival of 2005, because the basslines in Bloc Party et. al. are always right up in the front of the songs).

I should also mention the pedigree the Clean Prophets have to back them up: Jerrold Balcom (vocals/guitar) was the frontman of Sunstorm, who were released by London's Rough Trade Records. Johnny Sleeper (drums) was in the Superbees and DJs around LA (Soundgasm, Madchester) with a bent for dark, psychedelic pop. Dave Keonig (bass) played in The Brian Jonestown Massacre. As the Clean Prophets they have toured the U.S. with Dead Meadow, and have played shows with The BJM, as well as Frausdots, The Tyde, The Double, and Psychic Ills among others. I'd personally like to see them play a show with Pela, and the National maybe?

Check out their website for more downloadable MP3's and their Myspace page for more info - they're playing at the Echo in LA next Thursday with The Moon Upstairs, so go see them - you can get ahold of their EP at the show if you like what you hear.

********************************************************************
In Other News: Last night's Insound Trivia Night shindig at American Apparel's Pop-Up shop was a lot of fun - thank you to everyone that came out, and thanks to the folks that came by and said hello - it is always really nice to meet people in the flesh, when you've only corresponded with them on this ol' internerd thing. Don't forget to swing by LIT tonight for more robot-DJ action!

OH! and MFR alumni Tapes 'n Tapes are playing a string of East-Coast dates on their "Drunk Loon's Fly East Tour"- I'm gonna check them out with Mancino tomorrow (Saturday) night at Delancey - so check them out if you're in NYC (with three other shows in the city at Pianos, Mercury Lounge and Rothko), B-more or Philly.