Citizens Here And Abroad...

You've gotta keep an eye on the Turn Records site if for no other reason than the consistent quality of their releases. But also because the good folks there regularly add downloadable content to their site which is always of excellent quality. The newest addition to the Turn roster is Citizens Here And Abroad of which this is written because I'm a lazy tosser:

When SF band Secardora called it quits Adrienne and Dan decided it was time for a break from the music scene. But they had just moved across the street from Chris W., drummer for one of SF's most popular indie bands, Dealership [pre- Action/Adventure]. W welcomed them to the neighborhood by suggesting that he drum to a few songs they'd written. Soon after Chris G., also of Dealership, joined in the experiment to see what mixing the sweet pop of Dealership with the dark rock of Secadora might create.

What emerged were the pensive indie rock stylings of Citizens Here And Abroad. Sweeping soundscapes and brooding harmonies that are impossible to get out of your head. The band quickly recorded the critically acclaimed record, 'Ghosts Of Tables and Chairs' (Omnibus) and toured the US and Europe. During that time they played shows with a host of indie who's who including The Arcade Fire, The Decemberists, British Sea Power, Film School, and Rogue Wave, while their outstanding music videos played on MTV2, FuseTV, and MTV Europe and 'Appearances' was featured on the TV show The OC.

Citizens' new album, 'Waving, Not Drowning,' is about decisions, deliberations, and taking chances. The dramatic peaks and valleys of each song build into a frenzy and then peel away like onion skin, revealing things that are ususally whispered, if they are spoken at all.

Waving, Not Drowning is Citizens Here And Abroad's sophomore album, their first for Turn Records.

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What struck me initially about CHAA were the Boy/Girl harmonies: really tight and expressive. The band's sound has a certain menace to it, a dark guitar sound that broods and haunts the songs. The band also works a nice sonic dynamic in that the songs have an aural ebb and flow, soft loud, up and down palette that I like. Another good signing for Turn.

from Waving, Not Drowning:

Accelerator

Secret

A cool video for their song You Drive And We'll Listen To Music should be viewed with something like relish. Caution with the semantics there. I'm using the word relish as in: to enjoy thoroughly and completely. Please don't think I'm implying this video must be watched while you're eating relish of any kind (pickle based or the more adventurous mango varieties) or, for that matter, wearing it in some odd but perhaps interesting way.

Have a good weekend.