Java.June.2016

MRCH
I Love You, But You Don’t Know What
You’re Talking About EP
NANAMI OZONE
Desire
THE HARDWAYS
Whittle It Away
Last year MRCH (pronounced March) first appeared
as a side project of The Prowling Kind’s Mickey and
Jesse Pangburn and Erin Beal. They released a string
of three singles that were quick to catch the attention
of radio and press. The last one, “Spin,” was featured
as the soundtrack when Alexis Krauss (Sleigh Bells)
and Bethany Cosentino (Best Coast) interviewed each
other for the Pitchfork-produced “In Focus” series.
“Spin” is the only of those singles to make it to
MRCH’s debut I Love You, But You Don’t Know What
You’re Talking About EP, which leaves room for four
brand-new tracks.
“Light” opens the EP on a darker note and is one of
their more synth-heavy efforts. Still, MRCH fulfill
their promise of delivering breathy dream pop.
The atmospherics give way to a slightly more
Eurodisco vibe on “Ruins.” This tune would have
been supremely popular in the mid to late ’80s, and
given current trends may make for a great single with
a radio edit. “Spin” is the centerpiece of the EP and
deservedly so. It also feels like the song that helps
define the sound of the entire record.
“Impulse” is a little heavier than the other tracks—a
slow-burning, seductive number that draws you into
its strange, dreamlike atmosphere. Mickey’s sultry
vocal delivery moves this song like a slow dance on
your soul. The finale, “Drift,” is perfect, with its near
church organ beginning that transports the listener to
a celestial state. It’s damned dreamy and dizzying in
its pleasure.
Nanami Ozone is a sort of local indie-pop supergroup
formed by members of The Thin Bloods, Numb Bats,
North Dakota and Sun Ghost. They just released their
debut album, and it will be on my summer soundtrack
(or maybe my soundtrack for the rest of the year).
One of my favorite shows ever was The Thin Bloods
with Numb Bats, so the idea that Colson Miller,
Sophie Opich and Mo Neuharth have teamed up is
a game changer—add Chris Gerber on bass and it
is perfection.
The album has a classic early alternative feel; think
Blake Babies, The Breeders or Belly. It has that same
energy, same youthful drive, as well as a bit of a
surf groove here and there. One thing that keeps
the album engaging is the switch of vocal duties
throughout. Miller’s songs, “Wet Mouth,” “I Dunno”
and the Nirvana-meets-Pixies jam “Michigan Man,”
seem like more straightforward anchors for the
album. Meanwhile, Opich handles lead vocals on
“Right by Your Side,” which sounds like it could have
been written by the Deal sisters, and “Be Cool to
Me,” which serves as the centerpiece of the album.
It’s got a great fuzzed-out Jesus & Mary Chain vibe to
it, with breathy, baby-doll vocals.
Neuharth takes lead on the indie rock single “Desire”
and the equally fantastic shoegaze “Clear.” Opich
and Miller team up for the adorable “Sonny Bono,”
which has a Mazzy Star/Opal feel to it. On “Push Me
Down the Stairs” Gerber is actually the lower register
while Miller handles the high range. Be sure to listen
all the way through, as after “Michigan Man” there’s
a secret track by none other than Jordan Owen of
Petty Things. In an alternate universe where Twin
Peaks never stopped airing on television, this is the
number one record in America.
The Hardways present a rather fascinating portrait
of themselves on Whittle It Away. The band is
steeped in Americana sounds, banjo and country
tones, but they have a way of mixing that with rock,
metal and even salsa. Gingher Leyendecker (vocals/
guitar), Daniel Bain (guitar), Nate Hawbaker (drums)
and Christopher Lee Lykins (bass) have a knack for
presenting Americana themes inside surprisingly
breakneck speeds.
Both “Whittle It Away” and “Ghost Rider” showcase
The Hardways’ brand of Americana thrash pop with
vigor. “Old Blacktop Road” slows the pace down for
a bit and comes on with the same ominous tone as a
murder ballad. Country slam dancing could become
a thing with the likes of “Prairie Fire,” while “Hard
Times” is its musical companion, sounding like it’s
going down at a hoedown.
The ballad of the album is “The Wonder,” and the
sheer beauty of it tugs at your heartstrings. The
transition into “Road to Hell” is a little rough, with
the bombastic drums and pounding bass, but it just
straight-up rocks out, as does the blues-drenched
“One for the Road,” which pairs with it perfectly and
name checks the Palo Verde Lounge. It’s ironic that
“Simple” is possibly the most musically complex
song here, throwing any country feel out the window
and exploring more Latin sounds as it works its way
through different movements. “Zombieland” is a
hilarious hootenanny romp that pokes fun at Sheriff
Joe and Jan Brewer and grins the entire way. The
album ends perfectly with the slow-burning blues of
“So Long Baby.”
32 JAVA
MAGAZINE
Sounds Around Town By Mitchell L. Hillman