Wondernaut “Mind The Pendulum Swing” EP
Wondernaut is the ongoing musical project of Oklahoma City native Billy Gro. Since 2006, he’s been performing at venues from Oklahoma City to Tulsa (Twilley country!). His approach is indie rock with a prog feel. This EP starts with the cool title track, an impressive multi-tracked chorus and steady beat. The other tracks are serviceable, standouts include “Delete Me”and the guitar fuzzed out “Sigh/Smile.” The companion EP is “1000 Love Songs” and Gro’s melodic sense and persistence has helped grow his dedicated fanbase. Fans of The New Pornographers and Death Cab for Cutie may find this artist irresistible.
The Shirts “The Tiger Must Jump”
It must be frustrating for this Brooklyn band with a plenty of talent, but a lack of direction here. The Shirts were a classic punk pop band from the CBGB’s era that has jumped into the adult indie pop arena recently. While they’d like to be compared to Jefferson Airplane, they are more like The Velvets meet Blondie. Led by singer/guitarist Art Lamonica and his wife Kathy sharing the vocal duties, they start out with “Hopper,” full of chiming guitars and a nice harmonic chorus.
But the next few songs just don’t distinguish themselves, and stylistically seem conflicted between fast guitar riffs with slow vocals. I was ready to give up on this album until I heard the title track. “The Tiger Must Jump” adds a wonderful retro organ riff and the vocals are brilliant here. Another standout is the Lou Reed-ish ballad “Tina of The Talking Heads” with its dreamy tribute to Tina Weymouth. The raw guitar riffs on “Mochaccino” are another gift to long time Shirts fans. The band should concentrate on this style, rather than trying to conform to a “mature” standard. 