Please Do Not Fight and Hollands

Please Do Not Fight “Move” EP

The four piece band Please Do Not Fight have an quirky indie rock sound with heartfelt emotion, not unlike Death Cab For Cutie. Lead singer Zen Zenith has a tortured vocal that resembles Adam Marsland or Ben Folds. No pissed off angst here, just a calming presence when needed for most of the album. Highlights include the well constructed “I Will Not Forget” and the subtle zen ballad “BAMF.” The addition of synth and violin adds to the infectious atmosphere here. Another gem is “Up Up Up” where it resembles a great straight up alt. pop single and Zen rises to the occasion here. “Hard To Tell” is a solid narrative that starts out “I think I’m drunk, but I’m behind the wheel again…” and it’s another excellent tune that ends a solid EP.

MySpace | CD Baby

Hollands “Mother” EP

This Brooklyn band mixes rock, punk, folk a bit like Radiohead meeting 10cc in a bar and jamming to Phish. It’s not that accessible on first listen. But give it a chance. The ELO-like touches and electric bass lines add to the majesty of the opener “Air Conditioned Heart.” It’s a big sound that pushes lots of buttons and the follow up is the slower “Cheerio!” that approaches greatness with it’s Pink Floyd reverb dirge and again that great bass rhythm. The next song, “Just Like Them” is a study in contrasts: John-Paul Norpoth’s vocal resembles a Ray Davies ballad, now add a loud punk noise break in the middle. It’s jarring and unpredictable, as is much of the album. “Jackie” is the EP’s highlight, with a well played guitar lead, chorus/verse combo and a laid back hook. If these guys decided to focus on the melody more often like in “Jackie” it would have worked better. What we get are flashes of brilliance that surface every now and then. I would keep my ears open for more.

MySpace | Amazon