For several tracks off his new album “Sweet Talk for Pretty Daughters” - whose release is going towill be celebrated tonight at The Deli's CMJ Rootsy stage at The Delancey), the Reverend John DeLore recorded the lead vocals in the room where folk legend Gram Parsons died in 1973. Clearly, the ghost of Parsons was trapped in that room for almost 40 years waiting for someone to set him free and refill the world with his music. That’s one explanation as to how DeLore could create such lovely folk gems. A more likely explanation, however, is the Reverend is an extremely talented singer-songwriter who incorporates his notable influences along with his refreshing take on folk music. Either way, surely Parsons would be very proud of DeLore’shis music, and DeLore should be too. The band will take stage downstairs on the main floor at 8pm. - Josh S. Johnson
"Uptempo" and "Pop" are by themselves two concepts that - in the business of being an indie band - can take you quite far; but if on top of that you add to the equation also comparisons to The Smiths, then the hype can get out of control. Brooklyn's Drowners have more than one similarity with Morrisey's act, and although they will surely feel belittled by such comparison, they should not, because no artists really managed to be The Smiths' worthy musical heir yet (like, for example, XTC were for The Beatles, Robin Hitchcock for Syd Barrett, and The Strokes for Lou Reed - uhm, maybe...).
The band's 3 songs debut EP features the remarkable single "Between Us Girls" (streaming below) which immediately throws us back to the days of "Meat is Murder," with the electric guitar alternating between jangly parts and arpeggios, and Welsh frontman Matt Hitt singing semi-melancholically about some girls' hair length - rather than about how big they are... The edge is slightly punkier, while the songwriting reveals an almost clinical concision (the song clocks in just under 2 minutes, with the first chorus coming in after 26" - A&R allergic to intros will dig that).
The second song, "You've Got it All Wrong," beats a similar musical path, tackling the infinite well of inspiration that (for Brits) is life at the pub, with the difference of a slower bridge, which acts as a breather for the final chorus. Final track "A Shell Across the Tongue" is the punkier of the bunch, but also the one with the least memorable melody.
This is obviously a band with enormous songwriting potential. If they'll manage to write songs as good as these and integrate their influences in a more mature and personal sound, the world can be theirs. - PDG
