Dig on these indie gems
By Tyson Lex Wheatley
CNN Headline News
(CNN) -- Tired of the "alternative" mix on the radio? Looking for something a little more original? Or perhaps you just want to impress your hipster friends by busting out some cool tunes from the underground. Well, here are three indie gems just waiting to be dug up:
IQU: 'Sun Q' (Sonic Boom Recordings)
Theremin (n) -- An electronic instrument played by moving the hands near its two antennas, often used for high tremolo effects.
The theremin takes a starring role in the sophomore album from electronic pop duo IQU. And founding father Kento Oiwa plays it with haunting grace. But the album's driving force comes from a solid supporting cast of animated keyboards, distorted guitar, fuzzy drums and assorted bleeps and blips.
But "Sun Q" is more than just weird science. The album is playful and bright in nature, and its Japanese influences blend seamlessly with scratch-happy beats, conversations overheard in a nightclub ladies' room and a certain eerily familiar cellphone ringtone.
The result: A surprisingly accessible electronic album full of charm and even humor. IQU formed in Olympia, Washington, in 1997 by Oiwa and Michiko Swiggs, their first full-length, 1998's "Chotto Matte a Moment" resonated with critics across the country. The band cut their teeth on the road, playing the first Coachella Festival and touring with acts like Looper, Hovercraft and Mouse on Mars.
It took them four years to get enough material together for the next, but it was well worth the wait. The CD's diverse quality carries it from start to finish, with elements of disco "Dirty Boy,' pop "Sun Q," and even rock "Hamachi." An instrumental cover of Minnie Riperton's "Loving You" adds a soothing touch. Add that to some of the most clever packaging art ever created -- and you've got yourself one brilliant pickup.
Karate: 'Pockets' (Southern Records)
"Pockets" is a companion for the thinking man and woman. A beautiful blend of blues, jazz and post-rock that is at times meandering and achingly beautiful, other times upbeat and, well, groovy.
It's a spacious album both ponderous and rocking that leaves the listener both satisfied and yet yearning for another spin.
Karate is the combined efforts of three exceptional musicians -- all formally schooled, all veterans of the indie-pop scene. Primary songwriter Geoff Farina was a founding member of the influential D.C. outfit Secret Stars. Drummer Gavin McCarthy and bassist Jeff Goddard round out the trio. The band has made unique atmospheric music for 10 years and now seven full-length releases.
And while Karate has always been known for its free-flowing jazz, laid-back lyrics and vast guitarscapes, on "Pockets" the band has fused those talents with indie-pop sensibilities. The result: the shortest and arguably best songs of their career.
"Water" is nothing short of a meditative masterpiece."Cacophony" is a tailspin of sorrowful guitars and inspired lyrics. This is an album well suited for both a quiet drive through the country or drinks at the bar.
The Flesh: 'The Flesh' (Gern Blandsten Records)
Mere seconds into their self-titled debut, Brooklyn-based dance-punk upstarts The Flesh demand the listener to get down in the water, put on the flesh and get baptized. I suggest you do as they say.
Part hip-hop, part Gothic, and all sexy, "The Flesh" takes hold of the listener's emotions by throwing love and death in a brooding groove. Singer/guitarist Nat Halpern's naughty lyrics suggest a seductive world, where "salvation" meets "salivation" and "resurrection" goes hand-in-hand with "love infection."
Keyboardist/vocalist Gabriella Zappia and bass-player Jason Binnick round out the core of these sex-peddling fools. The band hit the studio with acclaimed producer Martin Bisi (Iggy Pop, Brian Eno) to combine bits of EP's "Death Connection" and "Sweet Defeat" with six new songs.
Together "The Flesh" has produced a distinct sound, both beautifully soulful, funky and yeah, a bit creepy. Zappia's house-of-horrors organ playing would make Dracula himself feel at home -- and yet her cherubic vocal talents, though sprinkled far too sparsely, add a touch of grace to an otherwise sinister album.
Much of the album consists of up-tempo rump-shakers, but perhaps the disc's best song is the sensitive "Fall To Heaven."
