The National. There, we’ve said it. We might as well get it out in the open right now because there’s absolutely no doubt that No (a band with possibly the hardest name ever to Google) sound a lot like Matt Berninger and co.
However, if you’re going to produce music that’s inevitably going to draw comparisons, we couldn’t think of a better reference point than The National. High Violet was quite simply the most accomplished and perfect album of 2010 and it would be understandably easy to mistake the six songs on this Echo Park band's Soundcloud page as the first half of the new album from Brooklyn’s finest mature indie rock group.
For the songs of No sweep, soar and occasionally creep with a gritty majestic stadium-bound beauty and menace. If they’re imitations they’re certainly not pale ones. Combining Bradley Hanan Carter’s wonderful baritone with atmospheric melodies and brooding instrumentation their debut EP Don’t Worry, You’ll Be Here Forever has already picked up a lot of praise in the U.S and a small amount of interest in our homeland of the UK. Radio 1’s Zane Lowe featured Another Life as his ‘next hype’ on his Radio 1 show last summer plus Daytrotter recently named Stay With Me as one of the best songs of 2012. "I'm leaving my husband to be with this song," one excited You Tube commentator recently said of Stay With Me. We know what she means. If last year was a great start for No, then 2013 could be even better as new video material is shortly to be unveiled.
So, let’s forget the obvious comparison and just accept the music for what it is. Bloody marvellous.
No - Another Life
No - Stay With Me (Video)
1 comment:
Thanks for pointing me in the direction of my first favourite new band of 2013
Post a Comment