Rainbow Chorus Effect

Okay, sweet music Friday time...
Agesandages: a Portland band in the midst of a big US tour, cruising along the cold weather states and even poking up into that syrupy dollop of land on top where beer is expensive and good bands are ubiquitous. You can really hear the Portland string collective kind of sound here, but this crew is an evolution on it, not only in that it's ebullient music flowing from beneath those overcast skies, but also that they play together melodically, so that we get blasted with angel choruses of sound (rather than distinct counterpoint melody lines wiggling against each other). Plus, they can all really sing, so you get a rich rainbow of sound (without the group yelling effect that some bands use). I think the talent and tightness (along with the bumping rhythm(lots of parenthesis today (it is Friday though, so the rules are a little more flexible))) here is what gives the sound an almost classic rock feel.

It's not really fair, because they hooked me with their space art. Still, it always comes back to Milwaukee, bringing it again with synth-rocktastic Faux Fir. My favorite track so far is Unhappen. I like how this band breaks away from just four four rock with keys on top. They vary the drumming, evolve the key sounds, and take moments in their songs to let the sound drop away and change. Overall, a really strong EP, particularly in the back end. Last three tracks knock it right out of the park.

Also, I've been clicking this video for Summer Camp over and over. I love the aesthetic, and the synths. The pieces come together wonderfully here, with the guitar bubbling through at perfect moments and the resonance of Elizabeth Sankey's and Jeremy Warmsley's vocals complementing the tone. This is an unassuming and beguiling song, just when you try to lock in on a part, it fades away, drawing you in further and further into the moment.