From the midnight show at Rockwood Music Hall to the lofts of good ole’ BK, the guys from Chappo have been stirring up the NYC indie music scene with good times, good vibes, and great sounds. The catastrophically crazy Southern duo, comprised of Alex Chappo and Chris Olson Chappo, have an energy that transcends from the stage to the streets, leaving a wake of “space dust” in their trail that keeps fans moving, shaking, and coming back for more. Often described as a huge party, Chappo shows set the bar regarding cosmic energy and out-of-body experiences, complete with props, noisemakers, and the occasional instrument. Their music is fearless, innovative and downright fun, infusing classic indie pop with complete chaos, achieving their goal of making the Chappo experience one meant to be out of this world. - Read Christina Morelli's Q&A with the band here.
This might sound kind of trite, but imagination is one of the most crucial deciding factors that makes us pay attention to music we get introduced to. This is a quality that is definitely not missing from Night Manager's music, lead singer Caitlin Seager's melodies in particular. The Brooklyn via Paris/San Francisco band offers some of the most refreshingly catchy pop lines we heard in a long time. The gorgeous single "Ghost" (streaming here) is a glorious melange of genres, somewhat reminiscent of the carefully constructed songs from The Throwing Muses' pop masterpiece "The Real Ramona" - one of the most underestimated pop album of the 90s. Unpredictable melodies blending Cocteau Twins' heavenly beauty and The Beach Boys' harmonizing mastery, float on top of what could be described as a grunge-style track, although drenched in reverb and filtered through the NYC DIY sound of the new millennium, with all its homages to the new wave and the garage sound of the 60s. But the sonic character of the track is kind of contingent here, because the actual song is so good that it would work in any instrumental context. The other two tracks on the 7" (the band's third release), present a similar recipe, with a heavier influence of the 60's surf pop element, which awakens comparisons to west coast breakout band Best Coast.- PDG
