I’ve been a bit out of commission lately. In the past three weeks, I have been in or through thirteen different states, driven almost 5,500 miles, and had three oil changes and two car-washes. While all the travel hasn’t left me a whole lot of time to write any new posts, it has given me a chance to listen to a lot of music that I have been meaning to catch up on…and of all the bands I’ve been listening to over the past few weeks, the one that has stuck with me the most has easily been the Generationals.
The Generationals is the project of New Orleans based Ted Joyner and Grant Widmer, though they are joined by a number of other musicians and performers both on their album and in their live shows. Their debut album Con Law was released not too long ago by Park the Van Records. I first heard of Park the Van through Dr. Dog…I had caught one of their shows a long time ago, and the label was giving away free sampler cd’s to anyone who would take them. And while that first sampler didn’t exactly blow me away, the label has since picked up bands like The High Strung and The Spinto Band…and with their signing of the Generationals, it is clear that the label continues to expand, experiment, and explore in exciting and entertaining new ways.
The Generationals – “When They Fight, They Fight”
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It’s hard to classify the Generationals. Their songs run the gamut, pulling together a range of sounds and instruments that gives each song a unique and exciting feel. And these songs don’t just show a range of creative sound, they pull together influences from several generations of music…everything from 50′s sock hop to 90′s indie rock, all with a new twist…a 21st century hint of novelty. The song “When They Fight, They Fight,” for example, screams of Motown influences from the 60′s. It’s as though the song was ripped straight from my father’s oldies collection…yet the it doesn’t sound old-fashioned or hackneyed…it sounds new and original. Most impressively, none of the songs on Con Law sounds repetitive. “When They Fight, They Fight” might sound like a familiar oldie, but just listen to a song like “Wildlife Sculpture” and you are transported to the synth-inspired sound of the 80′s. The Generationals truly pull from generations, creating an album that is unique yet familiar…novel, yet comfortable.
The Generationals – “Wildlife Sculpture”
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And as if the album weren’t enough to elicit novel nostalgia, the band has also released a video for their song “Angry Charlie.” Ahh, the joys of the Polaroid.
The Generationals – “Angry Charlie”
Oh, and GO BENGALS!!!!
Posted by the Needle
